Are you a baby boomer suffering from "boomeritis"?

General · Fitness

Baby boomers (born between 1945 and 1960) are an awesome breed. In the past several years they have stopped smoking, increased their amount of exercise, have cut down on red-meat consumption and have made strides in healthy living… they show no signs of slowing down! Yet today they are affected by annoyances such as bursitis, arthritis, tendonitis and all these “fix-me-itis” things that are collectively dubbed “boomeritis”.

Boomeritis aside, it is no surprise that individuals over 40 who regularly exercise feel fit, fabulous and most importantly are healthier individuals than their non-exercising counterparts. Research has shown that a moderate exercise routine can shave 10-12 years off of your biological age. The challenge today is to find activities that are suitable for coping with “boomeritis” and convincing baby boomers that the “no pain, no gain” mantra is obsolete and dangerous for their bodies and joints.

If you are a baby boomer, you don’t have to feel that you are outliving the warranties of your frame. But beware that regularly taking Vitamin I (a.k.a. Ibuprofen) is not a long-term solution for coping with the physical issues typical of this stage of your life. Here are some tips to help you cope with the aches and pains that come with years of active physical activity through exercise:

1) Warm up

Pre-exercise warm up is incredibly important for maximizing the effectiveness of your training session and minimizing the negative effects of exercise on preexisting conditions such as tendonitis and bursitis.

Have you ever said: “I feel awful getting out of bed but as the day goes on, and I warm up, I feel better”? Think about this when you are about to dive into your workout and insure at least a 10-minute gentle warm up routine. Longer warm ups are always a good idea for any athlete but much more important for 40+ individuals.

2) Stretch

Tight muscles ache and can potentially worsen your condition. When muscles are stiff they cannot absorb the “shock” of everyday life, and this includes just walking! Think of your muscles (and joints) as “shock-absorbers” that need to keep flexible and lubricated to take whatever activity you throw at them. A diligent stretching routine can help you cope with and minimize joint discomfort or pain.

Always insure that you have warmed up before stretching. Performing stretching exercises on cold muscles pose a risk of injury.

3) Build your strength

Stronger muscles help you keep up with your active lifestyle by protecting your joints and your spine. A stronger you will be able to do more things, whether you want to run a marathon to simply pick up a large bag of dog food at your local superstore, all by yourself! Strength training is crucial for keeping bone mass, especially for women prone to develop osteoporosis. Find a strength training program that is built with your needs in mind and stay away from “intense” or “elite” strength training programs designed for “quick” results, these programs are effective but the price you pay is very high when you consider the new injuries that you will acquire.

Instead, chose a strength training program with the proper exercise mix and progression for your situation and insure that you discuss any conditions with your trainer, such as low back pain, joint discomfort, etc.

Incorporating longer pre-exercise warm ups, a thorough stretching routine and an adequate strength training plan into your fitness training will allow you to keep an active lifestyle while lessening the effects of boomeritis and keeping you from getting injured. You certainly don’t have to slow down but you do have to take care of your body so it responds favorably to your everyday demands.

Alex

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2 Comments

#1
Chuck Clarke (Tuesday, 22 September 2009 15:40)

Alex, this is a very informative article, and very appropriate for me.
#2
Alex (Tuesday, 22 September 2009 19:29)

Thanks for the comment Chuck, I want insure that the content in here is relevant to all of you.