Aging and Avoiding Injuries

As we age, our tissues become less elastic and are more prone to injury due to tearing. Although this fact is somewhat depressing, there are things we can do to avoid injuries. Some of these things are: keeping your body hydrated, eating right/good nutrition, having a strong core, having good flexibility, and having a fit cardio-vascular system.

Drinking water and staying hydrated is so important because our tissues are mostly made up of water. Every organ in our body relies on water; it is our life source.

Good nutrition is also just as important. The cells of our body are constantly turning over – meaning breaking down (catabolic processes) and building-up (anabolic processes). As we age, the catabolic processes vs anabolic processes proceed like a bell curve so that at approximately the age of 30, things are breaking down faster than things are building-up. Nutrition can help give our bodies the necessary ingredients for building-up. For instance, building muscle requires protein, and therefore, we need the right amount of protein in our diet for this building to occur.

Having a strong core can help with avoiding injuries because the “core” muscles are the foundation muscles from which our limbs move. Although most people think of the core as just the abdominal muscles, there are many other trunk muscles that are included. If these muscles are strong, they protect the spine and improve the mechanics of our moving limbs.

Flexibilty is also important for avoiding injuries because if our muscles are too tight, they can tear more readily. For example, think of a baseball player sprinting to 1st base. The act of sprinting requires quick and explosive contraction of the hamstring muscles. If the muscles are already too short due to poor flexibility, the hamstring is more likely to tear.

Having a good cardiovascular system is also key to avoiding injuries. This system is the transportation system of our bodies. It transports nutrients for the healing of damaged tissues and takes away waste.

These are just some of the ways to stay proactive in order to avoid injuries as we age.

Susanne DeCosterd, MPT