Diet and Fitness

Since ancient times we know that the effort against the physical capacity decreases with age, but most have much more than it uses.

We recommend starting physical activity at these ages as soon as possible and not wait for it to fully manifest the symptoms of aging.

They are known the benefits of exercise in the elderly, and can be summarized as improving the social-familial interaction (greater optimism and self confidence), appetite, concentration, and sleep: the Balance and coordination, appearance (lower risk of obesity and overweight), cardiorespiratory fitness, and sensory response.

Also decreases the risk of depression and anxiety to fill the free time and prevents the progression of osteoporosis. The sports that involve weight bearing are those that produce greater bone remineralization.

Should be specified that not all elders have the same stamina, so not everyone can do the same activities. The cognitive and functional validity of the elderly has to be measured in advance to know which is the most suitable for your overall health, it makes the individual a Geriatric Assessment (1) as a first step, ie the battery is made ECFA (Assessment Physical Fitness in Elderly). This battery is structured on the basis of six physical capacities and rates that arise from eight physical tests that form the battery. With these eight tests is evaluated on the one hand those physical abilities that determines the physical health of any subject, and on the other perceptual-motor skills such as static single limb balance with vision (2) and agility manual (kicking plates ) capabilities that are severely altered by the passage of time.

The battery ECFA, evaluates and rates the following capabilities:

*Body Composition: This refers particularly to body weight and integrity of bone mass. The operational definition of body composition, BMI (3)
*Balance: Ability to maintain the verticality of the body in static situations.
*Eye-hand coordination (agility manual): Ability to use the senses (especially vision and hearing) in conjunction with the systems of neural control of movement and different parts of the body, so they can develop motor tasks with precision and smoothness.
*Flexibility is defined as the functional ability of joints to move through its full range of motion. It depends on the functional characteristics of articular and extraarticular structures (cartilage, capsule, synovial fluid, muscles, ligaments, tendons) and neuromuscular control systems.
*Muscular strength and endurance: It can be defined as the ability of muscles to create tension and hold it for a long time.
*Endurance: Ability to perform strenuous tasks involving large muscle masses involving periods of time. It is based on functional capacity of circulatory and respiratory systems to adjust and recover from the effects of muscular exercise.