Geriatric Exercise Prescription

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Itzel Gamez The Geriatric Exercise Prescription: Nutritional Implications Exercise plays an important role in people of all ages, but it is especially important for people of older ages. Physical fitness levels are shown to be related to functional limitations, as well as not directly related through disease associated with inactivity. It is very important for health care providers to be aware of this in order for them to incorporate an exercise routine into the elderlys daily plan. According to Dr. Mary Tinetti, Yale University, approximately 30% of the people who live in the community fall each year, therefore having an exercise plan is important in order to maintain muscle mass. There are two types of exercises a[ging adults can benefit …show more content…
An example of this is listed in the table below: Disease Treatment Hypocaloric dieting for obesity Physiological changes in aging adults, affect athletic performance but not physical adaptation to correct exercise stimulus, even in people of advanced age. The fact that exercise can moderate or reverse these changes, tells us that aging is not due to inevitable circumstances but to the lack of exercise. Of course some of these changes are meant to happen eventually, but overall almost all changes can be moderated as long as the patient is able to perform the exercises. A few examples of these are listed in the table below: Physiological Change Decreased glucose transport and glycogen storage capacity in skeletal muscle Decreased capacity density in skeletal muscle yes Decreased muscle mass yes Decreased stroke volume yes Degeneration of cartilage yes Adverse Consequence Loss of lean body mass Effective Exercise Modalities Progressive resistance exercise Habitual Exercise Minimizes change Yes Physical aging and chronic diseases are not the only factors that limit functional capacity in older …show more content…
Loss of muscle can result in fractures, functional decline, insulin insensitivity, and an increased risk of all cause mortality. Micronutrients are also important for physical function. Skeletal muscle express receptors for 1-25 dihydroxyvitamin D, which appear to be necessary for the rapid intracellular reuptake of calcium into the sarcoplasm reticulum in the relaxation phase of myofilament contraction. Muscles that cant fully relax, result weakened. People that are institutionalized are at high risk, because they do not get enough vitamin D from sun or food. Deficiencies in calcium, magnesium, and potassium can result in clinical weakness. Patients that take long term diuretics are at higher risk because these cause loss of minerals. Patients who are deficient in these, should replace drug therapy. Nearly 50 percent of all American adults regularly take at least one prescription drug. Medication that is commonly given to older adults deplete micronutrients critical to exercise capacity, such as vit