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Exercise Therapy

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Exercise Therapy in Sydney

Structured physical activity or exercise therapy  is a popular pursuit amongst older persons and can be of considerable benefit given the physical declines associated with ageing. The following section is intended to provide accurate, practical information regarding the adoption and continuation of physical activity and its importance to older persons.

As we age, a great number of structural and functional transformations occur leading to a decline in “optimal” physical capacity. While our level of activity affects some of these changes, others bear little relationship to the quantity of exercise performed. Age-related changes in skin composition (texture, etc.), vision, hair colour, hearing, etc. take place irrespective of an individual’s level of physical fitness.

However, other factors such as breathing capacity, heart function, muscle strength, etc. are heavily influenced by one’s level of fitness.

How Does The Body Response to Exercise Therapy ?

The human body generally responds well to physical exercise and substantial improvements may be anticipated in heart and lung function, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility and one’s ability to respond to stimulii.

Some of the more noticeable changes to exercise may include:

What Is Involved With The Exercise Therapy Program

When prescribing exercise, health professionals will usually talk about 3 important factors, namely: intensity, duration and frequency.

How Is Intensity With Exercise Measured?

Intensity is usually measured by assessing the heart rate during exercise. The intensity of exercise refers to the amount of effort put into an exercise. As a general rule, the intensity of exercise should not exceed certain limits. If monitoring heart rate use the simple equation – 200 minus your age (in years) to estimate the working heart rate you should remain under.

Of course ‘listening to your own body’ can be just as important and reliable in determining whether or not you are exercising at a sufficient intensity. Accordingly, a feeling of mild fatigue should be your aim immediately following a bout of exercise.

What Is The Duration Of Exercise?

The duration of exercise refers to the actual time spent performing an activity. It is generally accepted that to improve cardiorespiratory or “heart” fitness you should aim to achieve 30 minutes of exercise on most (if not all) days of the week. However, recent studies have shown that favourable “health” benefits can be achieved from as little as 5 minutes continuous exercise, repeated several times per day.

What Is The Frequency Of Exercises?

The frequency of exercise refers to the number of occasions per week that activity should be undertaken. The accepted frequency, in order to achieve cardiorespiratory or “heart” fitness is 3 to 5 sessions per week. However, positive benefits have been shown to occur from as little as 2 sessions per week.

The most important element of exercise prescription is the notion that activity should become a “life-long” habit and not merely a passing “fad”

What Is The Best Practical Advice We Can Give You?

There are certain things you should be aware of before commencing any program of physical activity.
General advice includes the following:

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