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Dangerous Deterioration
Losing Muscle Mass and What You Can Do About It
By Suzy Feine
Stretching after any type of exercise can help combat the effects rigorous exercise has on the muscles. According to Dr. Strauss, stretching after exercise allows the muscles to recover from rapid movement, allowing blood to repair any damage to the fibers that have been asked to work throughout the cycle.
As we age, stretching becomes more important to the health of our muscles. "As we get older, the fascia, which is the tissue that encompasses our muscles like a rubber glove, gets less elastic," says Labadie. "This loss of elasticity can lead to sore muscles."
In addition, "It's important that stretching take place after you exercise as opposed to before," he says. "Stretching beforehand can tear cold muscles. You should always warm up before you begin exercising, and that means getting a light sweat going. Stretching after you work out brings the muscles back to their proper length, which is important for injury prevention, circulation and reducing soreness."
Spend a few moments stretching after your workout to reduce some of the soreness caused by exercise. This, along with a moderate strength-training program, could be just what you need to feel young again.
Dr. Strauss offers even more tips to help prevent "boomeritis:
- Don't be a weekend warrior and cram exercise into only two days.
- Learn proper technique from tennis and golf pros and personal trainers.
- Invest in the right equipment.
- Warm up properly. Don't skimp on stretching. Research studies have shown that cold muscles are more prone to injury.
- Increase activity by only 10 percent each week.
- Remember that moderate physical activity includes things like walking the dog, working in the garden, playing with the kids and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Take lessons at appropriate levels of play that are offered by local park districts and athletic clubs.
- Select the proper shoes for your sport and use them only for that sport. When the treads start to look worn or the shoes are no longer as supportive as they were, it's time to replace them.
- Listen to your body. As you age, you may find that you are not as flexible as you were or that you cannot tolerate the same types of activities that you did years ago. While no one is happy about getting older, you will be able to prevent injury by modifying your activity to accommodate your body's needs.
- Develop a balanced fitness program that incorporates cardiovascular exercise, strength training and flexibility. In addition to providing a total body workout, a balanced program will keep you from getting bored and lessen your chance of injury.
- Add activity and new exercises cautiously. No matter if you've been sedentary or are very fit, don't try to take on too many activities at one time. It's best to add no more than one or two new activities per workout.
- If you have or have had sports or orthopedic injuries or problems like tendonitis, arthritis, stress fractures or lower back pain in the past, consult an orthopedic surgeon who can help you design a fitness routine to promote wellness and minimize the chance of injury.
