Building strength helps recovery from illness, says fitness coach

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 18 Oct, 06:08 · Archive

Fitness coach Pete Richards says strength training helps people recover better after illness and stay independent.

Fitness coach Pete Richards explains that strength before illness matters for recovery. While strength naturally declines with age, sudden drops occur during illness, operations or hospital stays. During these periods of inactivity, the body loses muscle and strength remarkably quickly.

A recent study examined ten healthy men with an average age of 68 who spent ten days on strict bed rest. Their thigh muscle volume fell by around six per cent and their leg strength by thirteen per cent. Richards notes that hospital stays differ from controlled studies, and strength loss varies by individual circumstances, but the findings demonstrate how rapidly inactivity affects the body.

Richards illustrates the benefit with a comparison: two people of the same age both become ill and inactive for a week. Both lose strength, but the person who spent years building and maintaining strength beforehand has a larger reserve to draw upon. This buffer helps preserve independence and aids recovery.

How it is being reported

• Your Health, Your Choice: Why building strength matters for recoveryFitness coach Pete Richards explains why strength training can help people stay independent and recover better after illness.Bridgwater Mercury · 18 Oct, 05:00
• Your Health, Your Choice: How strength can help you when you need restFitness coach Pete Richards explains why strength training can help people stay independent and recover better after illness.Somerset County Gazette · 18 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Pete Richards

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