Drop the Walking Group and Pick Up a Barbell: Strength

Training for an Aging America

Have you ever thought to yourself: “Maybe 10 years ago I’d do that, but not with these

knees!” Or, have found yourself taking the elevator more often than the stairs to the office? As

we age, our body goes through many natural changes. We generally see decreased bone density, a

loss in muscle mass, and a reduction in certain measures of physical function (how we measure

general health, independence, and ability to move). This is a scary process for many. However,

losing functionality, struggling up and down the stairs, and lengthy recoveries from injury don’t

have to be a looming issue in everyone’s life. There is an answer: strength training.

It might seem like an easy solution, but one you should’ve been doing 20 years ago to

help you now, but that isn’t the case. It can start right now, today. Let’s take, as an example, an

older woman who recently fractured her hip, a scary prospect for anyone.

A study conducted by Host and colleagues examined the usual process for assessing a hip

fracture: a couple months of physical therapy. They hypothesized that this generally accepted

practice was leaving people still vulnerable to injury, and they decided to test if there was

something to add. With the implementation of high-intensity (using heavy weights, close to as

much as a person could lift) strength training, they saw those measures of physical function

improve and the strength of the injured and non-injured leg increase (Host et al., 2007). This

prepared the subjects to better re-enter the activities of daily living and readied them to better

handle life’s challenges. These were all older patients who had already suffered a severe injury,

and they still saw progress with the strength training program they were given. No matter how
old you are, how strong you are, or how nervous you are to make some changes, strength training

is for everyone.

Along with the obvious benefits of rehabilitating after an injury, strength training using

heavy weights consistently over a period of time impacts so many aspects of your life. Weight

training can increase your bone density and prevent further loses due to conditions like

osteoporosis (a progressive loss in bone density that mainly affects older people, especially post-

menopausal women). It can increase your muscle mass, which will protect your joints, making

them stronger and more resilient. This means things like long staircases, walks, lifting up heavy

boxes will be much easier.

Rehabilitating from injury and preventing injury are very similar, and strength training is

an integral part of that process. If you are looking for ways to age with grace, strength, and

independence, then find a gym near you, find a personal trainer you can trust, and get moving!

References

Host, H. H., Sinacore, D. R., Bohnert, K. L., Steger-May, K., Brown, M., & Binder, E. F. (2007).

Training-induced strength and functional adaptations after Hip Fracture. Physical

Therapy, 87(3), 292–303. https://doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20050396