By Jennifer Reincastle
Pelvic Floor and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist (B. Physio)
Most people consider middle age to be somewhere between 50 and 60. BUT – in Australia, the life expectancy for women is 85, that means middle age is around 42-43! Yikes, that’s me!
If this is you too, have you considered what you want the next 30-40 years to look like? Are you ageing well?
What does it mean to age well? It can mean many things, but in regards to health, it means to put on the protective armour of muscle mass to help fight the battle against preventable disease and age-related deterioration.
Ageing well for me means keeping up with my younger children and also preparing to be a super active grandmother when my older children start having children of their own (probably in 5-10
years). It is being fit enough to travel the world when there are no more school fees to pay. Fit enough to climb mountains and for my ‘senior’ adventures to be limited only by my imagination, not by my body. On top of that, I want to lower my falls risk, prevent osteoporosis and avoid being frail, for as long as possible!
What does ageing well mean for you?
Of course there are health concerns that can be beyond our control. However, a reduction in muscle mass is related to an increased risk for metabolic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, not to mention reduced strength, reduced mobility, loss of bone density and reduced general functional capacity.
Unfortunately, muscle loss is a ‘normal’ part of ageing that begins after the age of 30. Muscle loss occurs at a rate for 3-8% per decade, with this rate rapidly increasing after the age of 60. If we are not engaging in muscle building exercises during our 30s. 40s and 50s, we can expect to see significant loss of strength and function into our 60s and beyond. In a recent viral Youtube post, Dr Stacy Sims recommended that all women should be able to perform 11 pushups on the toes! This seems like a lot of pushups and might seem impossible if you can’t perform 1. But, this number of pushups is a great indicator of overall strength, health and longevity and would be an amazing goal for all women.
But, where can we start? Muscle mass is built through resistance exercise, which is exercise that puts stress on the muscle. This includes body weight strengthening exercises eg squats, pushups
and/or lifting weights.
So, if you are in or approaching middle age, your health and fitness goals should include strategies for ‘ageing well’.
If you don’t know where to start or are concerned about your pelvic floor when lifting weights, book in for a consultation now!
Click here to see Jen’s appointment availability!