There are many great reasons to exercise, but the most compelling may be its ability to reduce the risk of mortality compared to those who do not exercise.

In this video I review how much the risk of mortality is reduced, how many more years of life can be gained, and how little exercise is needed to attain these benefits.

Respiratory tract infections both upper and lower (i.e. common cold and pneumonia) are some of the most common causes for people to get sick. The good news is that regular physical activity can significantly reduce the risk of contracting these illnesses. In this video I’ll review 5 broad concepts including how much exercise you’ll need to do, and how it prevents these common infections.

How many steps per day and at what intensity is sufficient to reduce the risk of developing dementia, diabetes and death.

For many older people they primarily focus on performing aerobic exercise such as walking. However, we can’t forget strength training. Maintaining strength as we age, especially over 65, has implications on health, mortality, physical function, and remaining independent. In this video I’ll review several key points you need to know about reducing the risk of death in those over 65 by implementing a weekly resistance training program.

In the United States approximately 28% of adults over the age 65 report falling each year. While not all falls result in an injury, about 37% require medical treatment. These may include head injuries and fractures, which can lead to pain, functional loss, disrupt ability to care for oneself and loss of independence. In this video I review 3 important risk factors for falling and I review 3 important components of an exercise program that can help prevent falls.

From extensive medical research it has been demonstrated that both muscle weakness and obesity, independently have negative repercussions on physical function and mortality. To make matters worse approximately 10% of older adults over the age of 75 are afflicted with both risk factors, and in medical jargon this double whammy is called sarcopenic obesity. In this video, I review the dangers of this combination of risk factors. However, on a positive note, I also discuss the benefits of exercise as one important ingredient to help mitigate this problem.

With aging there is often an associated decline in physical ability. This may be experienced as difficulty walking a few blocks, climbing stairs, or carrying groceries. This decline may progress from difficulty to complete inability to perform one or more of these activities, which can ultimately result in loss of independence. Strong evidence demonstrates that physical activity and exercise improves physical function and reduces the risk of age-related physical decline in the general aging population.

I review 5 common risk factors that increase the odds of an older person developing a physical limitation.

Muscle mass peaks at about 30 years of age; it then decreases 3–8% per decade, this loss accelerates after 60 years of age. Loss of muscle mass and loss of strength is termed sarcopenia and is associated with increased risk of functional impairment (walking 3-4 blocks) and physical disability (difficulty performing activities of daily living). Approximately 35% of older adults have moderate sarcopenia and 10% have severe sarcopenia. Fortunately, resistance training exercises can improve muscle mass, strength and physical function.

Strong muscles are needed to carry out our daily functions. You can imagine a person with weak quads may have trouble climbing a flight of stairs or walking to the market. Loss of strength is associated with increased risk of functional impairment and physical disability (difficulty performing basic activities of daily living) and loss of independence. A significant percentage of older adults struggle with muscle weakness. Fortunately, resistance training exercises can improve strength and physical function.

Arthritis is very common and is found in an estimated 1 in 4 American adults. There are several common myths associated with this condition that I will debunk. The first myth I review in this video is the belief held by many that exercise and running causes arthritis. As you will learn, the science does not support this view, in fact exercise and recreational running is protective! If you are suffering with arthritis or hoping to reduce your risk of getting it, this video and information will come in handy.

Does exercise make arthritis worse? This video is part 2 of a series to debunk myths related to arthritis. The second myth about arthritis strongly held by many is that exercise or running will worsen their knee arthritis, lead to more pain and cause the arthritis to progress faster. As I demonstrate in this video, the evidence does not support this belief AND conversely, physical activity can improve symptoms and function.

Maintaining physical function is a hallmark for quality of life. However, as people age, they often develop physical limitations and disabilities. These may be secondary to de-conditioning from a sedentary lifestyle or may be secondary to a more insidious underlying health condition. For these reasons, poor or declining physical ability is associated with an increased risk of mortality (death). In this video, I review the extent of this risk and how exercise can help.