Despite this fact, nearly 69 percent of Americans are not regularly active, and 25 percent are not active at all. Unfortunately, this inactivity increases with age, and by the age of 75, one in three men and one in two women engage in no physical activity whatsoever, the U.S. Surgeon General reports. Regardless of age, physical activity helps the body maintain, repair and improve itself, says Jette. For seniors, says Jette, exercise has the added benefit of moderately increasing the longevity as well as enhancing the quality of life. Cardiorespiratory endurance is the ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues and remove wastes over sustained periods of time.
Flexibility allows joint and muscles to move through their full range of motion.
Different exercise affect different aspects of health, and Jette recommends a combination of aerobic resistive strength and flexibility exercises. He says that seniors especially those with known medical conditions, should seek the advice of an exercise expert and his or her physician before beginning and vigorous exercise program. Whether age or sedentary lifestyle is to blame, seniors are more susceptible to exercise related injuries than the general population. To prevent injuries, individuals should start slowly and gradually build up to more strenuous exercises. In the first Surgeon General's report on Physical Activity and Health, published in 1996 then acting Surgeon General Audrey F. Manley, MD, recommended minimum of 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week for seniors who have built up their physical activity level.