Regular exercise helps maintain strength and balance with age

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 14 Nov, 06:08 · Archive

Fitness expert Pete Richards explains how regular exercise helps maintain strength, balance and fitness as people age.

Fitness expert Pete Richards writes that the phrase 'use it or lose it' applies particularly to fitness and health as people age. Natural age-related losses in muscle strength, balance and cardiovascular fitness are not inevitable at a fixed rate; how much a person uses their body plays a significant role in how quickly decline occurs.

When people stop exercising for a few weeks, running pace slows and cycling becomes harder. The good news, Richards notes, is that much of the lost fitness can be regained when training resumes. The principle extends beyond gym performance to everyday activities: getting out of a chair, climbing stairs, carrying shopping and rising from the floor.

If people rarely challenge their balance, they can gradually become less confident and capable, potentially avoiding uneven paths or becoming nervous about new activities. This creates a vicious circle where reduced activity leads to reduced capability, which leads to further inactivity. Richards emphasises that muscles can become stronger, fitness can improve and balance can be trained at any age.

How it is being reported

• Your Health, Your Choice: What do we mean by 'use it or lose it'?Fitness expert Pete Richards explains how regular exercise can help maintain strength, balance and fitness as we get older.Somerset County Gazette · 14 Nov, 05:00
• Your Health, Your Choice: Why the phrase 'use it or lose it' mattersFitness expert Pete Richards explains how regular exercise can help maintain strength, balance and fitness as we get older.Bridgwater Mercury · 14 Nov, 05:00

In this story: Pete Richards

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