The secret to healthy aging

Many people expect their bodies to give out on them as they get older. They think that getting a knee replacement or having aches and pains is inevitable. But it doesn’t have to be this way! Want to know the secret? Read on to uncover tips for healthy aging so you can feel your best throughout your lifetime.

People doing the “impossible” later in life

Before we dive in, I want to provide a little inspiration to show you that it’s very possible to thrive later in life. There are countless stories of people achieving firsts, overcoming obstacles, and crushing the later years of their lives. Here are a few of my favorites:

John Glenn went into space for 11 days at the age of 77. He remains the oldest astronaut to ever go into outer space. ¹
Yuichiro Miura climbed Mt. Everest at age 80. This was his third summit since age 70. ²
Johanna Quaas is a German gymnast. In 2012 she was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest active gymnast at age 86. She took up gymnastics when she was 56 years old. She also plays soccer.³
Nola Ochs graduated college at age 95 and completed her master’s degree at age 98. She lived to be 105 years old.⁴

You may be thinking it comes down to good genetics or just plain luck, but I like how Dr. John Rusin, physical therapist, and strength coach puts it:

“Age is not a disability. Age is not an excuse. Age is not a death sentence. And loss of physical and mental function as you age is not inevitable. Want to thrive at any age, FOREVER? Exercise, eat well, and find happiness and do that FOREVER.”⁵
Dr. John Rusin

I agree with Dr. Rusin and would argue that the “secret” to healthy aging is to simply do the basics well and consistently throughout your life. That includes caring for your mind and body by exercising, eating well, and finding happiness.

Researchers have been curious about this question too. A 2022 study identified ten determinants of healthy aging:⁶

Physical activity
Diet
Self-awareness
Outlook/attitude
Life-long learning
Faith
Social support
Financial security
Community engagement
Independence

All ten of these determinants play a unique role in overall well-being throughout the lifespan and have equal importance. Today, we’re going to focus mostly on physical activity (surprise surprise!).

Moving your body to promote healthy aging

In my experience as a physical therapist, treating hundreds if not thousands of clients at this point, I’ve noticed some trends. People who age gracefully have two major things in common. First, they are generally happy people who have handled life’s stressors with grace. Secondly, they have consistently moved their bodies for the better part of their lives.

Physical activities that stand out to me are working as an electrician, walking 3 miles with friends several times a week, going to the gym with a friend or significant other, and spending time hiking in nature. I call these out to show that the physical activity these people did is nothing crazy like running marathons every year or competing at a high level. They simply move their bodies on a consistent basis with enjoyable activities that often include an element of social engagement.

The physical health benefits of exercise are well established and include lowering your risk of metabolic disease, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Not to mention, exercise also helps build muscle mass to protect your bones and joints.

There are also intangible health benefits that tie into the other determinants of healthy aging. People who consistently move their bodies are more likely to be self-aware, have a favorable outlook/attitude, engage with their community, and eat well. Exercise is also a great way to process stress.

PT to promote healthy aging

Most people only consider physical therapy after an injury or surgery. Yes, these are great times to see a physical therapist, but we can also help with preventative care. Remember, we are movement experts after all and we’re trained to analyze and optimize movement. Want to hike without getting so sore and tired? Physical therapy can help. Want to feel strong carrying groceries up your stairs? Physical therapy can help. Want to feel good while increasing your biking, running, or weightlifting? Physical therapy can help.

I’ve had many clients come to me recently who are over the age of 50. They wanted to determine which exercises worked best for their bodies and how to work out without hurting themselves. We’ve had so much fun doing things like:

Creating a custom exercise program from scratch
Optimizing a current exercise program
Getting ahead of minor aches and pains without reducing activity-level
Safely increasing running and walking distance
Improving balance and coordination
Building strength for heavy lifting as a caregiver

The bottom line is that caring for your physical body is crucial to aging gracefully. Want to uplevel your workouts while protecting your body? Consider having a great physical therapist on your team to guide you and keep you on track, regardless of how many trips around the sun you’ve had. If this sounds like something you want to explore, let’s chat.

References:

The secret to healthy aging

People doing the “impossible” later in life