Frome Valley Osteopaths

It cannot be underestimated how pivotal flexibility and balance are for our health, particularly as we get older. This ideally would be supported by a good amount of strength, a flexible weak joint can be just as painful as a stiff weak joint, strength is essential here to maintain the balance of a flexible joint or to support a stiff arthritic joint.

Balance and flexibility tend to be the among the elements of health that fade first if we aren’t working on them. They are also among the elements of health that are significantly involved in keeping us healthy as we age.

Without balance, moving around can become very difficult, we can become worried about falling, this can limit how often we move and where we move, this can lead to isolation and further negative impacts on our physical and mental health.

We have all had experience of an older person who was poorly, maybe a chest infection, who couldn’t move for a while, and then despite the resolution of the chest infection they don’t quite get back up to full health. The time of reduced movement, although often essential, can have a negative impact on many things, including balance, and often flexibility too. The great news is that with intention these elements can be built, maintained and improved upon. There is no upper age limit on any of this.

Flexibility is about the free movement of our joints, through their full range of motion. This is maintained by moving, particularly moving in different ways e.g. walking, cleaning, playing with children, dancing, strength training, stretching. This in my experience has a huge bearing on someones general health, the health of their joints, muscles, bones, nervous and vascular systems, movement is key for life.

Movement is life. Balance and flexibility help us stay able to move and keeping moving help us maintain balance and flexibility.

I have seen some brilliant things happening recently, anti fragile courses at @activepotential in Chippenham, to help people, through weight training, to reduce pain and build confidence in their bodies. More people, particularly women taking up strength training or cold water swimming. It’s brilliant, and again there is no upper age limit on these things.

I have been an Osteopath for 13 years now and I have treated a lot of older people, I have noticed that those who prioritise movement and flexibility tend to be able to be more flexible in their minds too, rolling with the changes of life a little easier…

There is another element of ageing that I notice helps, acceptance. Acceptance is massive. living in the reality of life and not resisting it, not needing it to be different. This doesn’t mean never doing anything to help support health, it just means that there isn’t constant internal resistance to how their body is and how they feel. It gives more room, gives more peace, more balance.

We need to help ourselves and our older people keep moving, this can be as simple as keeping people included in family life, supporting people not to become isolated and stuck. It can also be exercise classes, new experiences and balancing on one leg (or stood one foot in front of the other) when you brush your teeth or boil the kettle.

Acceptance can go both ways, people around an older person also need to accept where that person is, watching family age is hard and we can be very activated seeing them not be able to do what they used to be able to. We need to be able to step back, validate and support, not push from a place of our own anxiety.

Mostly in this blog I have spoken about ageing. However, it can be applied to anyone who may be experiencing difficulty, chronic pain or fatigue, long covid is affecting a lot of people at the moment and all of the above applies.

A mentor told me years ago that what we do to support our bodies now, will have massive benefits for our health in 10 years. Train today for yourself 10 years older. If you want to be fit at 60, start training at 50 etc. It’s never too late to make positive change.

Go gently

Lauren Manning BSc hons Ost.

Anti Fragile courses http://www.activepotential.com