The negative effects of aging on the body’s muscular system are well established and contributes to increased disease risk, sedentary activities, and most importantly, a loss of independence. The effect of sarcopenia begins after age 30 in most adults and results in a 5-10% loss of fat free muscle mass for each decade of life...
By the year 2030 it is estimated that 1 in every 5 Americans will be of retirement age. This stat is stunning and will have a large impact on our country’s economic future as we look to care for these aging adults. Much has been written on our medical system’s ability to extend the lifespan...
Yogi Berra famously said, “when you come to a fork in the road, take it”. These forks come frequently in life and allow us to make decisions and take actions which have large impacts on our future relationships, employment opportunities, and our health. The decision to exercise in adults is an important one because of...
All of us will undergo a progressive loss of muscle mass as we age called sacropenia. The key modifying variable is how quickly an individual loses this muscle mass over time. Previous research on resistance training has shown a significant reduction in the rate of this loss over time among both experienced and novice weight...
ACL injuries are on the rise across the United States as more individuals participate in athletic activities. As described in prior posts, the majority of these ligament injuries do not involve contact but rather occur with deceleration and directional changes in sports. Athletes with decreased strength, balance, and coordination are unable to dissipate forces placing...
Last year an estimated 30 million people ran at least 50 days for exercise and health benefits (Running USA). The fastest growing segment of the running community includes older adults who gain impressive cardiovascular, muscle, bone, and mental health benefits compared to their sedentary peers. In addition, contrary to popular but incorrect old...
Runners older than 50 years old have shown the greatest increase in participation rates among long distance runners. In a previous post we described the impact of aging on running speed. In each decade after age 40 a runner will lose approximately 10% of their VO2 max due to changes in their musculoskeletal and cardiovascular...
Running is one of the most common forms of exercise due to its’ wide appeal, minimal equipment needs, and aerobic benefits. Around Boulder it is not uncommon to see runners of all ability levels and ages enjoying many of the great outdoor running paths and trails. Prior research has shown older runners run at slower...