Information for Medical Professionals

Exercise offers clear benefits for the elderly

Regular exercise offers clear benefits during people's later years, it has been claimed.

Writing for Ortho Supersite, Dr Charles Sorbie, a professor of surgery and president of the Canadian Orthopaedic Research Society, the Canadian Orthopaedic Association, and the International Society of Orthopaedic Sugery and Traumatology, said: "There is a clear benefit from exercise and fitness in senior years, and when a reduced walking pace is observed, it is sensible to make note of its possible cause. It could be remedied, at least for a while."

His comments refer to a recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Paris, which found that mortality rates in elderly people who walked at a slower pace were higher than those in their more quickly-walking counterparts.

The researchers observed 3,208 people aged between 65 and 85-years-old from three French cities – Bordeaux, Dijon and Montpellier. They found that mortality was, per 1,000 person years, 19.2 in those with a walking speed in the lowest third compared to 9.5 in those who walked with a faster pace.

Research published in the Arthritis Research and Therapy journal recently showed that regular exercise could help strengthen knee joints and boost resilience against pain.

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