This week is National Falls Awareness week run by Age UK, and they have launched a new campaign – Get Up and Go! 2010 – to remind us all about the importance of keeping fit and active as we get older.

No matter what your age, weight, health problems or abilities, you should strive and do some form of regular physical activity. Here’s our guide to keeping healthy.

Why?

Physical activity is important as you get older because it helps maintain independence, is good for social activity and has positive health outcomes for long term health conditions. It also makes you look and feel better, gives you more energy, helps you sleep better and is a great confidence booster for getting you out there meeting people and making friends.

Alongside physical benefits, there are also mental benefits by helping you to reduce stress, anxiety and feelings of sadness and improve your concentration and self-confidence.

As we all know, physical activity also helps to control a number of important health factors such as weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and bone and joint problems including arthritis.  It also reduces the risk of heart disease, strokes and some cancers, and assists in managing pain, maintaining and improving joint movement and preventing falls and injury.

All these factors are important in maintaining a healthy, active and independent life.

How much activity should I do?

Older people should accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most, preferably all days.   If you can’t do 30 minutes now, start with 10 minutes once or twice a day. After two weeks make it 15 minutes twice a day and you will have reached your daily goal.  If you can do more than 30 minutes there will be additional health benefits

Try to be active every day in as many ways as possible, doing a range of activities that incorporates fitness, strength, flexibility and balance.

The excuses!

It’s easy to find excuses to avoid exercise: lack of time, fatigue, fear of re-injury or making a health problem worse, money, the weather, I’m not the sporty type, the list is endless.  In reality these are simply excuses.  Once you make some time and start exercising you will find that you will have MORE energy and feel less tired. It is also highly unlikely that you will injure yourself with gentle activity and most health problems can be helped by activity.  Walking is the simplest activity, it’s free and you can always take an umbrella and gloves if it’s a bit chilly.  Northamptonshire has some great walks (see www.walkinginnorthants.co.uk/Daventry for details).

What types of activity should I do?

There are four main types of activity that are needed to keep you healthy.  Moderate fitness activities include brisk walking, yard and garden work, golf, cycling, swimming and dancing. A combination of these should be done for 30 minutes on most days. Strength activities help maintain your muscles and bones and make daily tasks easier to perform, and should be done 2-3 times a week and ideally be built into everyday activities.  Weight, strength or resistance exercises, Lifting and carrying groceries and climbing stairs are all good strength activities.

Flexibility activities such as gentle reaching, bending and stretching help you to move more easily.  Tai Chi, bowls, mopping floors, vacuuming, dancing, yoga and stretching exercises are all good examples.  Stretching exercise can even be done whilst watching the TV.

Balancing activities improve balance and help to prevent falls.  Make a specific time each day to do these exercises, or fit them in whenever you can, for example while waiting for the kettle to boil. These simple exercises may include Side Steps (standing tall holding the back of a chair, take a step from side to side and continue doing this for 30 seconds.  When confident try holding the chair with one hand.  Then try two steps to the side and back, continuing for 30 seconds), Heel Raises (standing tall holding a sturdy table, chair or sink, raise your heels taking the weight on the big and second toe, hold for a second and lower your heels to the floor with control.  Repeat 10 times.)

Getting started

Make sure activities are safe. Wear comfortable clothes, preferably loose fitting and supportive footwear.  Start slowly and allow your body time to warm up. The old saying ‘no pain no gain’ is not true. If you feel any pain, slow down or stop!

Increase activity gradually, start at a level that you can manage and build upon it.  Be realistic and don’t make it too hard for yourself; remember every 10 minutes counts.

Set yourself a start date and a regular time to exercise.  Choose some activities from the four groups listed above and set some goals. For example, “ I will walk the dog every day this week” or “I will walk every day for 10 minutes after meals”.

Staying active on a regular basis can be a challenge.  Make it easier by using reminders, getting into a routine, try to make it social and vary activities.  Using a diary to write down activity times and how you felt is a good way of motivating yourself on those dreary days, or choose a role model to encourage you to maintain active.

Overcoming setbacks

It’s quite common to have a setback when starting a new activity. Holidays, injuries and other life events all get in the way and break your routine.  Don’t worry.  Treat the setback as temporary and get back on track as soon as you can.  Remember, when starting an activity again, do it in small amounts and stop if you feel pain.

National Falls Awareness  week  Get Up and Go! 2010 runs from 21-25 June see http://www.ageuk.org.uk for more information and activities in your area.