The vast majority of our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy patients participate in some form of exercise. Based on the research, we expect these patients to have a longer life in years and, most importantly, a better quality of life. Exercise can take many modes, but aerobic exercise and strength training remain the type of exercise with the greatest benefits on our health. Research continues to catch up with the benefits of strength training for participants in particular for females who participate at a lower rate than their male counterparts. A recent large study documented the benefits of these forms of exercise on risk of mortality.
Ji and colleagues published their results in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2024). A prospective study of over 400,000 adults in the United States was published seeking to identify trends between all cause deaths, cardiovascular deaths, and a participants level of physical activity and exercise. The authors followed patients over time and documented close to 40,000 deaths during the study period. As expected regular physical activity was associated with a 25% reduction in death in women. Both men and women found the optimal health benefit at 300 min/week, consistent with guidelines, of moderate to vigorous exercise. Women who participated in strength training 2-3 days per week had significantly lower risk of cardiovascular death compared to their sedentary peers, as well as, age matched men who also participated in strength training 2-3 days per week.
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