Blog article

Are you in the 60 to 70 age  bracket - TheThird Age or 70 to 85 years old the age of New Independence? 60 to 70 year olds may be still working or retiring. Looking after elderely parents and/or grandchildren.  The 70 to 85 year olds can have  challenges with mobility and health. Whatever your age you want to improve your mobility in order to have a more productive life for yourself and family.  

So what are the age related issues and what can we do about it? 

• A decrease in muscle mass
• Joint flexibility and mobility due to osteoarthritis or an accident
• Bone strength with osteoporosis/osteopaenia a major componernt
• Cardiovascular decline
• Coordination and balance issiues
• Hearing and vision issues
• Increase in body weight and a rise in blood pressure. 

Muscle strength and mass decline from the age of 40 due to a sedentary lifestyle rather than age. That old adage: ' If you don't use it you loose it'.  Some studies suggest we loose 3kg of lean muscle every decade from 50 years! And muscle mass can increase easily by regular exercise in a pretty short time. 

Joint flexibility and mobility Regular Exercise is the key again to remain supple and healthy. Exercise also helps to reduce the pain of osteoarthritis.The synovial fluid in many of our joints requires  use to maintain their function.

Bone strength and osteoporosis/osteopaenia - Weight bearing exercises can help to decrease the risk of bone loss. Weight work at the gymn or exercise class or a weight bearing sport like tennis. Walking up steep hills are all great weight bearing exercises.

Cardiovascular decline  - Very common where you can get stiffening of the artery walls plus atherosclerosis (deposits of cholesterol / calcium) on the artery walls. Also high blood pressure.  The 8 point dietary plan plus The Mediterranean diet 

is great to reduce high blood pressure. A five point dietary plan is good to help reduce stiffness in the arteries. 

Coordination and balance issues - 30 to 40% of the over 70s have falls. This can be due to poor vision.To counteract this increasing your walking speed increases your wellbeing and life expectancy with less  falls.

So how can I help as a remedial massage therapist and herbalist? Massage can help range of motion issues in the joints. Free up tension in the muscles surrounding joints. Exercises I give can help movement in joints and relax sore muscles or strengthen them.

I will position a person for ease. Side on may be better, or seated rather than face down or face up. Face down can lock up the lower back joints.

Exercises to improve balance all help, including work around the ankles and feet. 

As mentioned before diet can help lower blood pressure and arterial stiffness plus herbs can help reduce cholesterol. 

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