Your mid-30s are crunch time when your muscles start to show signs of ageing and you need to build muscle strength to future-proof your joints. Load-bearing and resistive-type training using weights, bands and gravity all stimulate this positive change. Exercises like squats and reverse lunges are particularly beneficial. In your 40s there should be a shift in emphasis towards bone and joint health. Joint pain is increasingly down to osteoarthritis which involves the whole joint, including the bone, cartilage, muscles, tendons, ligaments and blood system. Activity over rest is key in prevention and recovery. Hormonal changes at this stage of life can also have a negative influence on tendon health, leading to pain. Avoid the temptation to go crazy with exercise, but instead focus on gradual and specific movements. Balance declines after 60 so start prepping in your 50s with Pilates, yoga and tai chi. It’s important to build your confidence which will help with recovery and proprioception. Fear often stops us from doing things that are good for us. In your 60s you should be happy to stand on one leg for 30 seconds. Also work on nimble side-ways stepping as we rarely fall forwards. Don’t stop activities like walking or running – there is plenty of evidence that runners have less chance of developing osteoarthritis. Over-70s are advised to do repetitive exercises, like step-ups, sit-to-stand and squats. Add variety with weights to improve bone and joint health and muscular strength, but it will also help to feel more physically robust and resilient and reduce the risk of falls. In your 80s and 90s you can reap the benefits! I like to think of the body as a car. If you don’t drive it regularly, it will be harder to start when you need it and it will be more likely to break down when put under pressure. USE IT OR LOSE IT!!
