It’s no secret that it’s good for our health to stay active. Fitness is important to longevity, it’s good for our hearts, and reduces our risk of cancer and diabetes. A missing component of many of my patient’s fitness plans is a strength component.

This blog will make the case for why the strength component is crucial, and arguably has the largest impact not just on our longevity but on our quality of life in our later years.

Three benefits to consistent strength training include:

• Increased bone density

• Better overall health

• Improved function and balance

Increased Bone Density

Bone density is a hot topic. Over the age of 50 most people naturally begin to lose muscle and bone mass. Women tend to have the highest risk of bone density issues. As we age, bone density loss can lead to osteoporosis which in turn increases our risk of serious damage from relatively small traumas. Nobody wants a broken hip or a broken wrist from a stumble in the house.

For years, we have been told to supplement Calcium, drink milk, and take Vitamin D daily in order to maintain strong bones. In my opinion, this is good advice, because Calcium and Vitamin D are integral to the structure of bones. However, what is missing with this approach is some form of direct stimulus signaling the bones to make use of these minerals and become stronger.

When we strength train, our muscles are tensing and pulling on the bony attachments that anchor them to our skeleton. This results in an enormous amount of stress and force being applied to the bones.

Our bodies are magnificent at adapting to stress, and over time the stimulus of our muscles pulling on our bones will result in our bones becoming even stronger to resist the huge amounts of force our muscles can create. 

By strength training, we can signal our bodies to make use of Calcium, Vitamin D and other nutrients and apply them to making our bones more sturdy.

Better Overall Health

Muscles are metabolic powerhouses. Even at rest, muscles are burning up calories, regulating blood sugars, and improving lipids as well as cholesterol in our blood. Consistent strength training and exercise has been shown to reduce risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart attacks.

More muscle tends to result in even better metabolic regulation since the muscles are constantly at work and using energy, thus letting us eat more of the foods we love without putting on excess body fat as easily.

As an additional bonus, many people find that a consistent exercise and strength program has dramatic mental health benefits. Our brains adapt to crave the strength training routine, the consistent accomplishment of goals, and the steady progress that strength training can provide.

Improved function and balance

Ultimately, my goal when I’m 80 is to be able to walk, play, and take care of myself. The beauty of strength training is that it doesn’t just help us live longer (it does), it helps us enjoy the later years more. The quality of our senior years can be heavily impacted by disability and functional impairments as a result of frailty and weakness. 

Simple tasks such as standing from a chair, bathing, and walking can all become challenging if we don’t have the necessary muscle to produce the force needed to move our bodies. 

Many seniors have their quality of life severely affected by falls. One of the key physical components of avoiding falls is having the strength and explosiveness to catch oneself before hitting the ground. The best strategy we have to maintain strength and explosiveness long term is implementing a training program based around strength.

Well designed strength training programs performed consistently can make dramatic improvements in balance and strength within as little as six weeks. Of course, the best program is the program we can follow throughout our lives, but even in the short-term the benefits are astounding.

Conclusion

As part of my job as a chiropractor in Westboro and mobile, I try to meet my patients where they are at and use exercise and strength as an effective treatment option. When patients become injured and it impairs their ability to exercise, we work quickly to get back to the movements and activities that keep us healthy long-term.