EEI Physical Wellness Institute

As I was working with a 71-year-old triathlete who was having a hamstring issue, I had him do hops,  jumps and accelerations. He planned to compete in a triathlon in two months, so I also suggested that he try running or jogging a 5k to assess his recovery. It seemed a logical recommendation.

After he left my supervisor came over and asked his age.  Seventy-one. With a very concerned tone, the boss admonished me to never again have such an old patient hopping, jumping, and skipping around in the clinic! And I certainly was to never suggest that such an old person go running.

I was perplexed. How is an athlete, at any age, supposed to compete in a running event if they don’t go out and run? Sadly, this is the ageist message and attitude that I experienced far too often while working in the clinic.

But what about the flip side? What if you have a positive approach to aging? According to research not only does a positive attitude about aging make life more pleasant, it can have long-term health effects on your entire body.

• 2002 = Positive perceptions about ageing are linked to longevity (Levy et al.)
• 2009 = Holding ageist stereotypes increases risk for cardiovascular events (Levy et al.)
• 2014 = “You’re only as old as you think” (Levy et al.)
• 2026 = Magnifying the positivity of ageing enhances improvement (Levy et al.)
  • 45% improved cognitive function and 28% got physically stronger
• 2026 = Strong positive associations with ageing improves memory (Coundouris et al.)
  • “Self-messaging becomes increasingly self-relevant and internalized”

Let’s take another example of someone I know. Wilson needed something to do in retirement, so he decided to try and break the Guinness World Cycling Record for one hour distance on the steeply banked Velodrome race track. The man is 73 years old, riding his bike near 32 mph for an hour! While he missed the World Record by a quarter mile, he said it was “great training” and a “fun experience.”

Here is the best news, it’s never too late! There were two important articles in the late 1980s where frail elders were given strengthening exercises. Yes, lifting heavy weights in your 80s and 90s, and here’s what we learned:

Here is what we SHOULD have learned from that research. People we think of as too old or too frail can still get stronger. Not just stronger, but stronger enough to improve their actual function.  

 We tell our young adults to start a savings account and make small deposits over time – we should do the same thing with movement. There is an old proverb that we especially like, it says, “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second-best time is now.”

While the marketing material for the EEI Physical Wellness Institute may say “those over 40 years old”, bodies and personalities are all different and whether you are 70 or 30, we hope to instill a passion for movement. The 71-year-old Triathlete loved moving, 73-year-old Wilson loved moving. Why not you?

No matter your age, get out there and do something fun!

PS – We would LOVE to hear your physical wellness journey to feature in our blog. If you are willing, and would like to inspire others, please contact us!

This post is AI free – it’s all us