The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have posted the Surgeon General's report on physical activity and health . Find a health club or a certified fitness professional on the American Council on Exercise Web site. A Guide from the National Institute on Aging . The value of staying fit at 40 and even at 70 is plain, but suggesting that people 80 or 90 years old should exercise might sound wacky. Yet researchers are learning that even for the oldest of the old, exercise is critical to quality of life.
Balance diminishes, leading to falls.
Injuries aside, these problems make it difficult to walk, lift even light weights, and otherwise function normally. The remedy, say fitness researchers who study the elderly, is a program that builds muscle and bone and improves balance. They spent less time in wheelchairs, walked farther and faster, and generally regained some control of their lives. Help from the East. One nursing-home study introduced the residents to tai chi, a Chinese discipline that combines slow, relaxed movements with meditation.