Exercise, optimal aging and the Olympic Games

The 2016 Summer Olympic Games continue to dominate the news headlines this week. As the world's top athletes compete in Rio de Janeiro, perhaps we can take a cue from them to improve our own fitness. While we’re not training to bring home a gold medal, we can still recognize the many benefits that physical activity has on our health and well-being. Evidence shows that regular exercise is a key component to optimal aging. Inspired by the Olympic Games, we’ve compiled the best available research evidence confirming the many benefits of exercise for older adults.

 

Featured Resources

  1. Blog Post: Sitting too much? Take steps to promote healthy aging

  2. Blog Post: Back pain? Try exercise!

  3. Blog Post: Exercise plays an active role in treating depression

  4. Blog Post: Walking speed, part 2: what can you do to improve walking speed? 

  5. Blog Post: Physical exercise can help combat signs of frailty in older adults

  6. Web Resource Rating: Preventing Osteoporosis

  7. Web Resource Rating: Fatigue in people with MS: can exercise help?

  8. Web Resource Rating: Five strengthening exercises for lower back pain

  9. Web Resource Rating: Arthritis and exercise

  10. Evidence Summary: Workplace interventions for reducing sitting at work

  11. Evidence Summary: Walking groups have many health benefits

  12. Evidence Summary: Personalized home-based exercise programs improve strength, balance and lower risk of falls 

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DISCLAIMER: These summaries are provided for informational purposes only. They are not a substitute for advice from your own health care professional. The summaries may be reproduced for not-for-profit educational purposes only. Any other uses must be approved by the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (info@mcmasteroptimalaging.org).

Many of our Blog Posts were written before the COVID-19 pandemic and thus do not necessarily reflect the latest public health recommendations. While the content of new and old blogs identify activities that support optimal aging, it is important to defer to the most current public health recommendations. Some of the activities suggested within these blogs may need to be modified or avoided altogether to comply with changing public health recommendations. To view the latest updates from the Public Health Agency of Canada, please visit their website.

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Support for the Portal is largely provided by the Labarge Optimal Aging Initiative. AGE-WELL is a contributing partner. Help us to continue to provide direct and easy access to evidence-based information on health and social conditions to help you stay healthy, active and engaged as you grow older. Donate Today.

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