Fitness - Menopause Matters · Classes loke Yoga, Pilates and Body Balance are highly beneficial in...
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28 MENOPAUSE MATTERS 2012 1 Fitnessmatters W elcome to Fitness Mat- ters. This time I am turning my attention to balance training, a frequently neglected component of fitness that has benefits for women, particularly at the menopause. Balance training plays a criti- cal role in the prevention of falls and the subsequent risk of osteoporotic fractures. It has been reported that in adults more than the age of 40, bone mass decreases by 0.5% per year. However, more worrying, early post-menopausal women experience a rapid loss of bone over and above this due to declining estrogen levels. This increases our risk of falls and osteoporotic fractures of the wrist, spine and hip in later of staying upright and are often amazed by how quickly their balance improves. But donʼt worry if you canʼt get to classes. The following three-dimensional exercise routine uses the Swiss Ball to really challenge your balance and core muscles and can be done at home. Swiss Balls are a cheap and easily sourced piece of fitness equipment. For best results, perform each ex- ercise slowly, with focus and concentration. Aim to do each exercise 8-12 times on each side. If you find it difficult to in- corporate the upper body movements at first, leave them out. Donʼt give up. Youʼll be amazed how quickly you im- prove with regular practice. 1 Place one foot on the ball as life, in the absence of an ap- propriate exercise intervention. We have already looked at the importance of resistance train- ing in the maintenance of bone mineral density. However, weak muscles, along with poor postural control and reduced lower limb range of motion all increase the risk of falls and in- jury in older women. While it has proven difficult to determine the importance of resistance, flexibility and bal- ance training in fall prevention, all three fitness components should be included in our train- ing programme. Given the consequences of osteoporotic fractures, includ- ing diminished quality of life and potential loss of independ- ence, it is never too early to incorporate balance training into our exercise regimes. Classes loke Yoga, Pilates and Body Balance are highly beneficial in improving bal- ance, co-ordination, muscular strength, endurance and flexi- bility and can be accessed at your local leisure centre or in the community. I always include lots of stand- ing balance work in my Fitness Pilates and Swiss Ball classes. My clients enjoy the challenge 3 Kathleen Stewart focuses on the benefits of balance training Working out on a fine NEXT ISSUE Resistance Training Revisited MENOPAUSE MATTERS 2012 29 2 Return to the start position. 3 Finally, push the ball out to the back corner, while using your arms to initiate torso rota- tion. Your arms return to the start position as you roll the ball back towards your body. Think of twenty to four on the clock face. I hope you enjoy this exercise sequence. You can contact me on [email protected] shown. Roll the ball out in front of you while stretching your arms overhead. At the same time slowly roll the ball back towards you and bend forward, contracting your abdominal muscles. 2 This time we are rolling the ball directly out to the side. While pushing the ball away with your foot, bend directly to the side and stretch overhead. balancing act M oving 6000 or more steps a day, no matter how, adds up to a healthier life for midlife women. If you can manage that level of physical activity it will substantially decrease the risk of diabetes and meta- bolic syndrome (a diabetes precursor and a risk for cardiovascular disease), according to a study pub- lished online recently in Menopause, the journal of the North American Meno- pause Society. Other studies have shown the value of structured ex- ercise in lowering health risks such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, this study has shown that habitual physical activity, whether it comes from exercising or the simple activities of daily living, has the power to improve women's health. In Passo Fundo, Brazil, 292 women who were 45 to 72 years old wore pedome- ters and recorded their daily steps. They also had health checks such as cho- lesterol and blood sugar and waist and hip measure- ment (to gauge abdominal obesity, which is a risk for diabetes and cardiovascu- lar disease). Women who took 6000 or more steps per day were considered active and those who took took fewer were seen to be inactive. The active women were much less likely than the inactive ones to be obese and have metabolic syn- drome or diabetes, whether or not they had gone through menopause - when these risks go up and whether or not they were using hormone therapy. For midlife women, it looks like the journey to health begins with 6000 steps. Are you ready to start the journey to health?
Transcript of Fitness - Menopause Matters · Classes loke Yoga, Pilates and Body Balance are highly beneficial in...
28 MENOPAUSE MATTERS 2012
1
Fitnessmatters
Welcome to Fitness Mat-ters. This time I amturning my attention to
balance training, a frequentlyneglected component of fitnessthat has benefits for women,particularly at the menopause. Balance training plays a criti-cal role in the prevention offalls and the subsequent risk ofosteoporotic fractures. It hasbeen reported that in adultsmore than the age of 40, bonemass decreases by 0.5% peryear. However, more worrying,early post-menopausal womenexperience a rapid loss ofbone over and above this dueto declining estrogen levels. This increases our risk of fallsand osteoporotic fractures ofthe wrist, spine and hip in later
of staying upright and are oftenamazed by how quickly theirbalance improves. But donʼt worry if you canʼtget to classes. The followingthree-dimensional exerciseroutine uses the Swiss Ball toreally challenge your balanceand core muscles and can bedone at home. Swiss Balls area cheap and easily sourcedpiece of fitness equipment. For
best results, perform each ex-ercise slowly, with focus andconcentration. Aim to do eachexercise 8-12 times on eachside. If you find it difficult to in-corporate the upper bodymovements at first, leave themout. Donʼt give up. Youʼll beamazed how quickly you im-prove with regular practice.1 Place one foot on the ball as
life, in the absence of an ap-propriate exercise intervention. We have already looked at theimportance of resistance train-ing in the maintenance of bonemineral density. However,weak muscles, along with poorpostural control and reducedlower limb range of motion allincrease the risk of falls and in-jury in older women. While it has proven difficult todetermine the importance ofresistance, flexibility and bal-ance training in fall prevention,all three fitness componentsshould be included in our train-ing programme.Given the consequences ofosteoporotic fractures, includ-ing diminished quality of lifeand potential loss of independ-ence, it is never too early to incorporate balance traininginto our exercise regimes. Classes loke Yoga, Pilatesand Body Balance are highlybeneficial in improving bal-ance, co-ordination, muscularstrength, endurance and flexi-bility and can be accessed atyour local leisure centre or inthe community. I always include lots of stand-ing balance work in my FitnessPilates and Swiss Ball classes.My clients enjoy the challenge
3
Kathleen Stewart focuses on
the benefits ofbalance training
Working out on a fine b
NEXT ISSUEResistance Training Revisited
MENOPAUSE MATTERS 2012 29
2
Return to the start position.3 Finally, push the ball out tothe back corner, while usingyour arms to initiate torso rota-tion. Your arms return to thestart position as you roll theball back towards your body.Think of twenty to four on theclock face.I hope you enjoy this exercisesequence. You can contact meon [email protected]
shown. Roll the ball out in frontof you while stretching yourarms overhead. At the sametime slowly roll the ball back towards you and bend forward,contracting your abdominalmuscles.2 This time we are rolling theball directly out to the side.While pushing the ball awaywith your foot, bend directly tothe side and stretch overhead.
e balancing act Moving 6000 or moresteps a day, no matter
how, adds up to a healthierlife for midlife women. Ifyou can manage that levelof physical activity it willsubstantially decrease therisk of diabetes and meta-bolic syndrome (a diabetesprecursor and a risk forcardiovascular disease),according to a study pub-lished online recently inMenopause, the journal ofthe North American Meno-pause Society.
Other studies have shownthe value of structured ex-ercise in lowering healthrisks such as diabetes,high blood pressure andheart disease, this studyhas shown that habitualphysical activity, whether itcomes from exercising orthe simple activities ofdaily living, has the powerto improve women's health.
In Passo Fundo, Brazil,292 women who were 45 to72 years old wore pedome-ters and recorded theirdaily steps. They also hadhealth checks such as cho-lesterol and blood sugarand waist and hip measure-
ment (to gauge abdominalobesity, which is a risk fordiabetes and cardiovascu-lar disease). Women who took 6000 or
more steps per day wereconsidered active andthose who took took fewerwere seen to be inactive.The active women were
much less likely than theinactive ones to be obeseand have metabolic syn-drome or diabetes, whetheror not they had gonethrough menopause - whenthese risks go up andwhether or not they wereusing hormone therapy.For midlife women, it
looks like the journey tohealth begins with 6000steps.
Are youready tostart thejourney to
health?
