INSERM recommends that seniors have a minimum of 30 minutes of sustained exercise per day, five times a week. If starting a sports practice is not considered in the same way at 60 as at 30, starting or resuming physical activity has certain benefits, both physically and psychologically. However, this implies being vigilant and aware of your physical condition and choosing a sport adapted to your possibilities.
What are the benefits for seniors?
There is no age to start practicing physical activity. At any age, sport can have many beneficial effects on well-being and health. For seniors in particular, regular physical activity can have several benefits:
Preserve your joint mobility and flexibility: soliciting your joints regularly contributes to maintaining joint flexibility and comfort.
Improve cardiac performance: physical effort stimulates the heart and also contributes to better oxygenation of the muscles.
Maintain muscle strength: with age and physical inactivity, muscle strength decreases.
Preserve your respiratory capacity: endurance sports, in particular, can have a positive influence on the capacity of the lungs, and breathing.
Keeping a social bond: sport, practiced in a group or in a club, helps to cultivate a social life. For people prone to stress or depression, sport can also be associated with a relaxation practice, such as sophrology, meditation...
Advice before starting
Beyond the age of 50, it is necessary to take a few precautions if you want to start or resume physical activity:
Carry out a medical check-up with a health professional in order to determine the sports adapted to your physical condition. In particular, he will assess your cardiovascular condition and will be able to calculate your recovery capacity with you.
The recovery capacity corresponds to the limit of pulsations per minute not to be exceeded during the practice of a physical activity. Beyond that, the heart races. It is calculated as follows:
220 heartbeats per minute – the patient's age. For example, if the patient is 57 years old: 220 – 57 = 163 beats per minute, not to be exceeded.
Start gradually, one or two sessions per week at a moderate pace to start, then increase the frequency and intensity according to your possibilities.
Be consistent in order to get results and avoid injury.
Remember to hydrate before, during and after each session: 1 liter of water per hour of sports activity.
What sports do you prefer?
If there is no medical contraindication to the practice of certain sports in particular, it is nevertheless recommended that seniors favor gentle physical activities and endurance, such as:
Walking: 30 minutes of brisk walking a day helps maintain good health.
Swimming: known to be a very complete sport, it works on muscle strength, as well as coordination and endurance. Aqua-gym, a physical activity also practiced in water, can be recommended for seniors.
Cycling: regular cycling can have many benefits, particularly at the cardiac and respiratory level. It also helps to work on your balance and coordination.
Tai Chi or yoga: these gentle practices work on your balance and flexibility and can be complementary to endurance practices. They also help to free the mind and work on the breath.
