UNIT 16OLDER ADULTS AND
PREGNANCY
Benefits of Exercise and Appropriate forms of
exercise
Introduction
A brief summary of the condition and the factors that you will need to consider
Any associated risks with that group The benefits of exercise for that group Recommendations for that group
Older Adults
Up to the age of 35 the structures of our body such as muscle and bone keep building up.
After this age we start to lose muscle and bone and the tendons and ligaments start to become weaker
The loss of bone is called Osteopenia and the loss of muscle is called Sacropenia
In particular we will start to lose our Type 2 muscle fibres
This also result in the creeping of fat gain over time
The main effects of ageing are?
Loss of muscle mass Loss of bone density Gain in body fat Loss of muscular strength Loss of muscular endurance Decline in cardiovascular fitness Lower ability to maintain balance Changes in posture
Can these be reversed
All of these effects of ageing can be reversed through a programme of resistance training with some cardiovascular work. Resistance training is very important.
“both aerobic and resistance training are beneficial for older adults but only resistance training can increase muscle strength and muscle mass” (Beachle and Earle 2000)
Safety considerations for training and older adults
Always use a PAR Q to identify underlying problems
If there are medical conditions then you will need to contact their GP to sign them off for exercise
Older adults take longer to warm up Allow at least 48-72 hr for recovery between
sessions All exercises should be pain free
The benefits of exercise are
Increase in muscle strength Less risk of falling due to improved balance Improved body composition Improved CV function Improved bone mineral density Reduced systems of medical diseases Greater ability to perform everyday exercise
such as carrying the shopping or going up the stairs
Exercise Recommendations
Cardiovascular fitness Frequency 3-5 per wk Intensity: RHR +20 bpm up to 40-70 of MHRTime: 20-30 mins Type: walking, swimming, cycling The equipment that should be chosen to avoid
excess stress on bones and joints Group training may make the session more
sociable and may improve retention over time. When increasing the training load increase duration before intensity
Exercise Recommendations: Resistance
Frequency 2-3 x pwk Intensity: 10-15 reps until loss of good
techniqueTime: 8-10 exercises at least one set of each
for 20-30 mins in totalType: machine and free weight depending
upon individual ability and mobility
Flexibility training
F: 2-3 x pwk I: Take to the pain of discomfort T: 10-15 sec per stretch Type: all major muscles and those which are
shorter than their functional length Keep stretching pain free, slowly stretch the
muscle into position and avoid any bouncy or jerky movement.
UNIT 16
Pregnancy and Exercise
Pre-natal women
Pregnancy is a time of rapid physiological change for the female , as a trainer it is vital to understand the changes that are happening to the body
More and more women are becoming wise to the benefits of exercise whilst training however the medical profession has always had a cautious approach due to the instability of the situation and the changes occurring
Trainer beware!!
As a trainer it is vital to understand the following
The physiological changes occurring The risks The benefits of exercise How to prescribe exercise Pregnancy is divided into 3 stages called
trimesters 1- 0-3 months 2-4-6 months 3- 7-9 months
Developing baby
During the 1st trimester we refer to the developing baby as a embryo and during the 2nd and 3rd as a fetus
It only becomes a baby when it is born The embryo/fetus is attached to the wall of the
uterus via the placenta which is a large structure full of blood vessels providing oxygen and nutrients and a means to waste exchange
It also provides a protective barrier against diseases within a fluid filled sac, which helps the temperature and acts as a shock absorber
Trainers concerns
Clearly a trainer will have concerns training a pregnant women which mainly comes from a lack of understanding or knowledge
What concerns may the trainer have Risk of miscarriagePhysical damage to the embryo/fetus Morning sickness Joint problems, back pains Changes in posture Overheating the mother or the embryo/fetusLoss of oxygen to the fetus
Limiting these risks
Choose regular moderate intensity Stationary cycling, swimming, walking, and static
stretching are recommendedAvoid jerky movements Don't exercise lying on your back after the 4th month Use longer periods of warming up and cooling down Stop exercise when they feel fatigued Increase energy intake – why?Keep well hydrated Avoid hot and humid conditions (ACOG 1994)
Training Considerations
During the 1st trimester the hormone progesterone will cause blood vessels to dilate (expand) and this will have the following effect
Lower BPINCREASED HR Feelings of sickness, fatigue and dizziness During the 2nd trimester the blood volume
start to increase although it is mainly plasma, the red blood cell count will start to rise towards the end of the 2nd trimester which has the following effects
contnd
BP returns back to normal Heart rate returns back to normal The mother does not feel as sick and less fatigued
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The mother will experience a change of centre of gravity as the bump develops at the front
After the 4th month the hormone “Relaxin” is released making the joints more mobile. Its role is to allow greater movement in the pelvis when the mother has to give birth
3rd trimester
The mother becomes larger in size and weight and will have even more trouble balancing.
The mother needs to be realistic that the aim of the pre-natal exercises is to make the pregnancy and the delivery of the baby easier , it is not the time to be worrying about increasing fitness
They can expect a range of benefits through exercise such
Benefits of exercise during pregnancy
Improve circulation Less fluid accumulation in the lower limbs Fewer leg crampsReduced risk of sickness Improved self image Less chance of constipation Easier less complicated labour
Exercise recommendation
When deciding what exercises it will depend on
Stage of pregnancy Size of the mother Current level of fitness Potential of injury for the activity that she has
chosen Can she lie on her back Will the type of exercise place any additional
stress on her pelvic muscles
Cardiovascular and Resistance recommendations CVF- 3-5 pwk I- 40-70 of MHR T- 20-30 min sessions T- low impact rhythmical activity ?(swimming
cycling walking Resistance F- 2-3 pwk I- 15-20 repsT- 8-10 exercises 1-2 sets T- Exercise to cover all major muscle groups
Flexibility training
F- 2-3 pwk I- to the point where they feel discomfort T- hold for 8-10 sec T- maintenance stretches on all major muscle
groups
General recommendations are to keep well hydrated. Ensure an extra 250-300 kcal to cover the energy cost of exercise. All sessions should include pelvic floor exercises
Post Natal women
After the birth of the baby the mother may be keen to return to exercise as she feels that her body has changed
We have to take into consideration that the mother will have a baby to look after and that she has just been through a major physiological trauma and there is damage to many structures
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyHnsI9uOsc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CyxISMCx1w&feature=relmfu
How to Exercise During Pregnancy.mp3
Post Natal Women
The benefits of exercise are Promote weight loss Improve self image Return tone to abdominal muscles Return strength to stretched musclesImprove flexibility to shortened muscles Improve posture
Post Natal Concerns
Joint instability and injury- the hormone relaxin will still be present in the body for up to 3-12 months so the joints may be unstable and prone to injury
Injury due to weak abdominal muscles- the core muscle may be stretched or even torn
Damage to the Pelvic Muscles- as the baby head passes through the pelvis it will stretch and tear the surrounding tissue- this can make it sore for the mother to sit or change position of the pelvic bones
Exercise Recommendations
Choose low impact exercise Use only maintenance stretching Start off with very gentle stomach exercises Ensure good posture Work to loss of form on resistance exercise
(what does this mean?)Include pelvic floor exercises