It’s vital for older adults to maintain an active lifestyle with plenty of exercise to promote optimal health and wellbeing. It’s also important to sustain flexibility while staying active to prevent injury and retain maximum mobility. Body Gears Physical Therapist Kane Thompson, PT, DPT, ATC, shares his expert knowledge and insight on the aging process and the ways in which it affects flexibility.
Flexibility in Older Adults
The Developmental Influence of System on Fitness:
The importance of flexibility increases with age due to the following physiological changes: A decrease in muscle elasticity and collagen elasticity occurs as we age. Muscle fibers decrease with aging while fat mass increases with age. Even in individuals who are physically active, fat mass still increases about 2 to 2.5 percent per decade.
Recommendations/Precautions to Improve Fitness:
Stretching exercises are recommended at least two days per week. Precaution should be taken when prescribing stretching activities based on the older adult’s health status. Dynamic stretching may not be appropriate for certain older adults. Ending an exercise session with flexibility exercises is a good way to increase range of motion (ROM) in older adults. Standing stretches may be more appropriate for older adults who are not comfortable getting up and down from the floor. Static stretching and PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) patterns are recommended for older adults. Static stretches should be held at a point of mild discomfort for 30 to 60 seconds for three to six reps.
Flexibility in the Inactive and/or Frail Older Adult.
The Developmental Influence of System on Fitness:
Collagen increases with age, primarily at the level of the endomysium. Collagen in aged muscle shows signs of decreased capacity for solubility; also, it has an increased resistance to collagenase as well as other degradative enzymes. Collagen has increased cross-linking and additional bonds amongst collagen molecules causing increased stiffness. As muscle fibers decrease they are replaced by fat and collagen. Flexibility decreases 20 to 50 percent between 30 and 70 years of age (variation amongst joints). Flexibility decreases with age associated with a muscle disuse, soft tissue restraints (collagen alterations, mechanical stress, disuse, and degenerative diseases), decreased functional abilities, and health status. Maintaining proper joint ROM can correlate to higher quality of life and independence for elderly.
Recommendations/Precautions to Improve Fitness:
A stretching program for elderly/inactive patients should use static stretching of major muscle groups. Static stretches should be held at the point of mild discomfort for 10 to 30 seconds, using a minimum of four reps for each muscle group; flexibility exercises during warm-up or cooldown yield similar ROM benefits. Low-intensity resistance training may enhance ROM. Low-intensity (approximately 50 percent of 1RM) weight training with machine-based exercises (often prescribed for inactive elderly) is recommended for ROM in more than one joint for older men. Moderate to high training intensity appears to be more effective in maintaining training-induced strength gains and produce gains in joint ROM. It appears that the intensity of 60 percent of 1RM may constitute a threshold point regarding flexibility adaptations following resistance training at higher intensities (60 percent of 1RM) and seems to be even more beneficial in improving flexibility.
To find out how Body Gears physical therapy can help you improve your fitness and flexibility call 877-709-1090 with inquiries or to schedule an appointment. It’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle as you age and Body Gears can help.
References:
- DeJong A, Franklin B. Prescribing exercise for the elderly: current research and recommendations. Current Sports Medicine Reports. December 2004;3(6):337-343.
- Fatouros I, Kambas A, Taxildaris K, et al. Resistance training and detraining effects on flexibility performance in the elderly are intensity-dependent. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research (Allen Press Publishing Services Inc.). August 2006;20(3):634-642.
- Cech DJ, Martin S. Functional Movement Development Across the Life Span, 3rd edition. Philadelphia: Saunders/Elsivier, 2012
- Black M. Flexibility exercise for older adults. Functional U. December 2006;4(6):10-13
- Rogers N, Rogers M. Exercise recommendations for older adults: an update. Journal On Active Aging. March 2012;11(2):40-48
- Cech DJ, Martin S. Functional Movement Development Across the Life Span, 3rd edition. Philadelphia: Saunders/Elsivier, 2012
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