An athlete has skills related to physical activity or sports. Anyone can be an athlete regardless of their age, but those who are getting older are wise to approach their athletic hobbies with care and strategy.
As people age, their ability to recover and avoid injury changes, and aging athletes should evaluate their current workouts to identify areas of improvement. If you’re an older athlete who wants to be sure you’re on the right track, you might not know where to start.
Here are six of the simplest tips for aging athletes to help you adjust your workouts to suit your body’s needs without compromising on gains and mobility.
Lower the Intensity
As the body ages, its tissues are less effective than they once were at performing exercises. This happens due to several factors, including changes to muscles, bones, and joints. For instance, even if you continue to work out throughout your life, your muscle fibers will shrink and reduce in number over time.
This change limits the amount of exertion your body can handle. Similarly, bones lose mineral composition over time, leaving them less resilient. Joints can see less flexibility, decreasing movement.
These issues can be mitigated by staying active, but activity should be chosen based on an understanding of these natural processes. Be sure to lower the intensity of your workouts to adjust to your body’s lower tolerance for exercise.
Get Enough Sleep
While you sleep, your body recovers, rebuilds tissues, and regenerates many of the resources it needs to power your body through the day. If you don’t get enough sleep, your body will not have the time to complete these tasks.
Someone who does not sleep enough will likely feel tired, but they will also be more prone to injury. Take, for example, how muscles grow. When an athlete uses muscles, they induce microtears that the body repairs, making the muscle stronger.
However, when a person does not sleep enough, the body cannot fully repair these tears overnight, which can result in a more substantial injury when the damaged muscle is used again.
Maintain Good Form
Older athletes tend to gravitate toward getting in as much exercise as possible, but this should not come at the expense of good form. Poor form can strain muscles and lead to injury.
If your body is no longer flexible or strong enough to perform a fitness task with good form, switching to another task is better than performing the intended task poorly. Professional trainers can provide necessary feedback and support in maintaining proper form while exercising.
Stretch Before and After
Stretching remains just as important in older age as it is for young athletes. Stretching allows ligaments, tendons, and other body structures to flex gradually in preparation for exercise.
Without stretching, these body parts can remain stiff, and a sudden or explosive movement can result in tearing or breakage. An older body may need a few more minutes of stretching to prepare for more intense exercise, so don’t skimp on this part of your day.
Take Injuries Seriously
Even with adequate preparation, injuries can happen accidentally. When aging athletes are injured, it is imperative that they immediately seek treatment and rest as appropriate.
The body is slower to heal in older age, and trying to rush an injury to heal can aggravate the problem and result in long-term or permanent movement challenges.
If you have suffered an injury, stay active in other ways while it heals. For example, if you roll your ankle, do some upper body exercises such as bicep curls to keep your heart pumping while your ankle recovers.
Vary the Movements
As a person ages, their body becomes more sensitive to repetitive strain injuries. These are more common in sports such as tennis, which operates based on a person’s dominant hand.
They will continue to swing the racket primarily on one side of their body, leading to those muscles working harder than the comparable ones on the opposite side.
Over time, this imbalance may lead to postural issues or strain on the smaller muscles, which are unable to support the body the way the stronger ones do. Keep movements varied, both by switching sides during exercise and choosing a variety of exercises.
Find Activities in Your Community
Aging doesn’t have to mean the end of athletic hobbies. However, these workouts should be approached with care and attention to ensure you continue to thrive. Explore the wide variety of potential athletic activities near you to see what activity levels suit your ability.
The team at Shepherd’s Center of Northern Virginia connects families with resources in their area to encourage healthy aging in place. Contact SCNOVA to discover athletic groups and opportunities in your community.
December 3, 2024, we ask you to please keep the Shepherd’s Center of Northern Virginia in mind. As a non-profit we rely solely upon the support of community partners, grants and donations. To put your generosity into perspective, remember this, our funds go to enriching the lives of older adults in the communities we serve.