Articles
The Journal on Active Aging brings articles of value to professionals dedicated to older-adult quality of life. Content sweeps across the active-aging landscape to focus on education and practice. Find articles of interest by searching the article archives in three ways: Enter a keyword in the articles search bar; click on search by topic; or type a keyword or phrase in the general search bar at the top of the page.
Topic- Physical wellness
Rowing across the generations by Gary Gordon, PhD
In 1886, when the Duluth (Minnesota) Rowing Club was formed (1), Grover Cleveland was president, the Statue of Liberty was freshly cast, and Coca-Cola had just been invented. Then, rowing was a sport for young men. Today, rowing welcomes men and women, from ninth graders to centenarians. Some race on a 2,000-meter course (2,187 yards) and others prefer recreational rowing.
You’ve watched rowing as part of the Olympic Games, but perhaps haven’t given it much thought beyond that. To explain, boats with two oars per rower are known as “sculls” (which is also another name for the oars themselves). You row backward, so you can see where you’ve been. Sculls can be an individual or a team-building sport. For example, quads are racing shells that are 41 feet long and 2 feet wide; they hold four rowers. They can be used for competition or recreation. These boats are long and sleek, with seats that slide backward and forward on rails. Fixed sets of “shoes,” called stretchers, anchor the rowers’ feet.
Physical wellness
Sedentary behavior: the new physical activity frontier? by Paul Gardiner, PhD
It’s a given that participation in moderate-to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) can minimize some of the physiologic changes associated with aging, and alter the progression and development of chronic disease and disabling conditions. Current guidelines for older adults recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week. But is that enough for good health?
Recent evidence underlines the importance of also focusing on sedentary behaviors—the high amount of time that people spend sitting during their “non-exercising” waking hours (1, 2).
Physical wellness
Use the stairs for physical activity by Kathie C. Garbe, PhD, MCHES
Participation in physical activity has the potential to positively change the way we live and age. An abundance of research shows that regular physical activity has been associated with a decreased risk of death and disability from a number of prevalent diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and osteoporosis (1, 2, 3). Regular physical activity helps maintain balance and prevent falls and fall-related injuries, prevent cognitive decline, manage chronic disease and pain and improve mental outlook, especially in depression (4, 5).
In addition, physical activity maintains and improves quality of life by reducing disease and preserving independence (6, 7). Also, we know that increasing physical activity may prove the most effective strategy for the prevention of heart disease, the leading cause of death for both men and women (8, 9).
Physical wellness
Whole body vibration, part two: what's the most effective protocol? by Joseph Signorile, PhD
For any exercise device or intervention to be effective, it must be used correctly. This may seem a simple concept, but its application can be difficult. It may also take years to develop all the questions concerning the most effective protocols. Given the number of whole body vibration (WBV) devices, the available settings on each device, and the number of different exercises and patterns of training that you can use with WBV, the question should not be, What is the best protocol? Rather, we should be asking, What is the best protocol to improve a given parameter—strength, power, balance, etc.—in older adults and on what type of machine?
morePhysical wellness
Whole body vibration, part one: what's shakin' now? by Joseph Signorile, PhD
Whole body vibration (WBV) has received considerable exposure as one of the new technical innovations in exercise. In my 2006 article “Whole body vibration training: a new wave in exercise intervention for older adults?” published in this journal, I reviewed the findings in the literature that examined the feasibility of using WBV as an intervention to address people’s needs as they age. A good deal of research has been done since that review, and this paper is intended to bring you up to date on the latest findings.
morePhysical wellness
Activating older adults with 'Nordic' pole walking and exercise programs by Tom Rutlin, BS
Among the most basic of all human activities, walking is essential to maintaining functional independence as we age. However, declining confidence, muscle fitness and proprioception (which allows us to sense body position in space) can threaten our ability to walk safely and thus stay independent. “Nordic” pole walking and pole exercise programs offer simple, effective options for regular physical activity participation, promoting health, function and independence in older adults.
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