Arthritis Relief
Tufts University recently completed a strength-training program with older
men and women with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis. The results of this
sixteen-week program showed that strength training decreased pain by 43%,
increased muscle strength and general physical performance, improved the
clinical signs and symptoms of the disease, and decreased disability. The
effectiveness of strength training to ease the pain of osteoarthritis was just
as potent, if not more potent, as medications. Similar effects of strength
training have been seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Restoration of Balance and Reduction of Falls
As people age, poor balance and flexibility contribute to falls and broken
bones. These fractures can result in significant disability and, in some cases,
fatal complications. Strengthening exercises, when done properly and through the
full range of motion, increase a person's flexibility and balance, which
decrease the likelihood and severity of falls. One study in New Zealand in women
80 years of age and older showed a 40% reduction in falls with simple strength
and balance training.
Strengthening of Bone
Post-menopausal
women can lose 1-2% of their bone mass annually. Results from a study conducted
at Tufts University, which were published in the Journal of the American
Medical Association in 1994, showed that strength training increases bone
density and reduces the risk for fractures among women aged 50-70.
Proper Weight Maintenance
Strength training is crucial to weight control, because individuals who have
more muscle mass have a higher metabolic rate. Muscle is active tissue that
consumes calories while stored fat uses very little energy. Strength training
can provide up to a 15% increase in metabolic rate, which is enormously helpful
for weight loss and long-term weight control.
Improved Glucose Control
More than 14 million Americans have type II diabetes—a staggering
three-hundred percent increase over the past forty years—and the numbers are
steadily climbing. In addition to being at greater risk for heart and renal
disease, diabetes is also the leading cause of blindness in older adults.
Fortunately, studies now show that lifestyle changes such as strength training
have a profound impact on helping older adults manage their diabetes. In a
recent study of Hispanic men and women, 16 weeks of strength training produced
dramatic improvements in glucose control that are comparable to taking diabetes
medication. Additionally, the study volunteers were stronger, gained muscle,
lost body fat, had less depression, and felt much more self-confident.
Healthy State of Mind
Strength
training provides similar improvements in depression as anti-depressant
medications. Currently, it is not known if this is because people feel better
when they are stronger or if strength training produces a helpful biochemical
change in the brain. It is most likely a combination of the two. When older
adults participate in strength training programs, their self-confidence and
self-esteem improve, which has a strong impact on their overall quality of life.
Sleep Improvement
People who exercise regularly enjoy improved sleep quality. They fall asleep
more quickly, sleep more deeply, awaken less often, and sleep longer. As with
depression, the sleep benefits obtained as a result of strength training are
comparable to treatment with medication but without the side effects or the
expense.
Healthy Heart Tissue
Strength training is important for cardiac health because heart disease risk
is lower when the body is leaner. One study found that cardiac patients gained
not only strength and flexibility but also aerobic capacity when they did
strength training three times a week as part of their rehabilitation program.
This and other studies have prompted the American Heart Association to recommend
strength training as a way to reduce risk of heart disease and as a therapy for
patients in cardiac rehabilitation programs.
Research and Background About Strength Training
Scientific research has shown that exercise can slow the physiological aging
clock. While aerobic exercise, such as walking, jogging, or swimming, has many
excellent health benefits—it maintains the heart and lungs and increases
cardiovascular fitness and endurance—it does not make your muscles strong.
Strength training does. Studies have shown that lifting weights two or three
times a week increases strength by building muscle mass and bone density.
One 12-month study conducted on postmenopausal women at Tufts University
demonstrated 1% gains in hip and spine bone density, 75% increases in strength
and 13% increases in dynamic balance with just two days per week of progressive
strength training. The control group had losses in bone, strength, and balance.
Strength training programs can also have a profound effect on reducing risk for
falls, which translates to fewer fractures.
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