Leave a Comment / General / By Dr LG Goh / August 16, 2022
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Introduction
We can reverse sarcopenia in older adults. What are needed are a combination of positive spirit and perseverance. Both aerobic exercises (as for example walking 5 times a week each 30 to 60 minutes) and resistance training 3 times a week (confirmed by research findings) are needed.
FITT and program
The frequency, intensity, timing, and type of exercise (aerobic, or resistance) need to be individualised. For example, we can develop a program made up of two parts namely:
1-Aerobic exercise. The easiest will be walking 30 minutes or even up to 60 minutes a day up to 5 times a week to chalk up to 150 minutes or more of exercise a week. Of course as we get older or have disabilities like osteoarthritis we will need the advice of the rehabilitation physician and physiotherapist to prescribe the amount and type of exercise. Some who are avid swimmers may choose to swim. I know of such a person who swims almost everyday, 5 days a week!
2-Resistance training. This will be 3 times a week as specified in the introduction. We can choose from weights, elastic bands, or use of gravity like doing push ups, planking exercise. We may make up a programe with a combination of these. Work with a exercise expert.
Elastic band exercises
With an elastic band we can design a whole set of exercises. Sharon Wang, a physiotherapist from the Singapore General Hospital has a nice video clip showing how to perform such exercises for upper and lower body.
Elastic band exercises for the lower limbs are: the leg press; calf press; straight leg raise; hip abduction; hip extension; hamstring curls; and squats. Each of them is worth including into your exercise routine.
Shown above are some exercises. Watch her video clip to learn more on how to do the exercises.
For the upper limb, there are also several exercises: pull downs; should blade squeeze; chest press; back rows; biceps press; and triceps press. Watch these in Ms Sharon Wang’s video clip.
Some lower limb exercises in pictures:
Example of elastic band exercise program
Each exercise session consists of 5-10 minutes of warm up, 20 to 60 minutes with 5-10 minutes of cool down, 3 times a week.
Repeat each exercise 8-12 times X 3 sets
For each exercise stretch the band slowly and with control; stretch the band for 3 seconds to contract the muscle, relax for 3 seconds, breathe normally throughout the exercise and maintain a good posture.
Benefits of resistance exercise program
Done regularly, resistance training prevents osteoporosis, low back pain, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.
Take home messages
An exercise programme consists of:
(1) aerobic exercises like walking 20 minutes to up to 60 minutes a day, up to 5 times a week to make up the 150 minutes or more a week, and
(2) resistance training 3 times a week. Elastic band exercises and the use of gravity with the body e.g., in push-ups are simple to organise and require minimal expenses.
Do your exercises regularly and you will overcome soft legs and soft arms due to sarcopenia, an age related disease. You can succeed.
Acknowledgements
Grateful thanks are due to:
Ms Sharon Wang, Physiotherapist from the Singapore General Hospital for her video clip on elastic band resistance training.
Mr Geert Pieters for the elastic band exercise picture in Unsplash.
References for further reading
1-FITT principle. https://www.healthline.com/health/fitt-principle
2-Sharon Wang. Resistance Band Exercises – Upper and Lower Body. Singapore General Hospital, Singapore. Health Exchange.Sg. https://www.healthxchange.sg/video/fitness-exercise/resistance-band-exercises-video Accessed 14 Aug 2022.
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Dr LG Goh
Dr GOH Lee Gan is a retired Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, National University Health System. He has an interest in learning and teaching how we can age well everyday (AWE).Post navigation
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Dr LG Goh
Dr GOH Lee Gan is a retired Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, National University Health System. He has an interest in learning and teaching how we can age well everyday (AWE).
