A Guide To Exercising With A Long-term Health Condition

Older adults with chronic diseases improved their aerobic endurance, muscle strength and power during a 12-month progressive exercise program, a recent study by the University of Jyväskylä in Finland reveals. Study participants, who were between 70-85 and had previously been sedentary, made impressive fitness gains, and their chronic diseases accounted for no more than 3% of the differences in their improvements. This means their conditions weren’t major barriers to their potential to improve their fitness. Indeed exercise has great benefits for people with long-term health conditions as it can build strength and stamina, reduce fatigue, and even reduce symptoms over time. This all also helps grow confidence. If you’re ready to get started, work with your doctor to find the right exercise routine. It also helps to listen to your body and prepare properly before each workout. You'll then soon start to feel better both mentally and physically.

Know what your body can handle

Current guidelines encourage people over 65 to be as physically active as their health and abilities allow and say that they should adjust the intensity of the exercise to suit their fitness level. Always talk to your doctor or physical therapist before you start to exercise. They can help you come up with a plan that’s right for your health condition. Low-impact activities like swimming, walking or water aerobics don’t put much stress on the joints. So these options can be good if you have joint pain. People with arthritis can also benefit from low-impact activities too. Although the right exercises will depend on the type of arthritis and joints it affects.

You may have to avoid certain exercises if they have the potential to exacerbate your condition. Also know that any amount of exercise is beneficial even if it’s not a lot. For example, you may want to start small and just make an effort to sit less and move about more throughout the day. You can slowly increase how much you do from there.

Listen to your body (and modify)

Always listen to your body whatever activity you do. It’s normal to feel tired and have some muscle soreness once you start exercising, but ask your doctor about how much is to be expected. Some symptoms may be a sign that you should stop. For example, feeling weak, dizzy, thirsty or starting to shake are all symptoms of low blood sugar in people with diabetes. This would mean it’s time to take a break and get your blood sugar back up with a snack or energy drink.

Also don’t be afraid to modify anything that doesn’t feel right, even if you’re not experiencing any warning signs. Low impact exercises like yoga are particularly easy to modify, and can even improve symptoms in people with chronic health conditions. For example, older women with urinary incontinence had 65% fewer episodes of incontinence after a 12-week yoga program. The program was also designed to be accessible to everyone regardless of physical ability. The beauty of yoga is that it strengthens the pelvic floor, and poses can be tweaked so as not to put too much strain or pressure on these muscles. Bladder control improves with stronger muscles which helps reduce leaks and restore confidence. Beginner yoga classes will show you how to modify poses so they’re comfortable and kind to your muscles and joints, whatever condition you have.

Set yourself up for success

There are also some steps you can take before your workout to set yourself up for success. Although they can differ depending on your condition and your doctor can give advice on what’s most relevant for you. For example, people with MS often prefer to exercise in the morning when it’s cool and before they feel too tired. Being hot and sweaty can make MS symptoms worse and so it’s important to not overexert yourself. Alternatively, it may help to take a warm shower first if you have arthritis. This can actually be nice if you have any sort of joint pain. The heat will relax your muscles and make you less stiff so you move more easily during your workout.

Exercise can help you feel better if you have a long-term health condition. Just start small and make it a habit. You’ll then see amazing improvements over time.