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Move, Not Just to Live Longer
Independent life expectancy means, for example, being able to walk unaided, get up from a chair without difficulty, go shopping and carry groceries, play with grandchildren, or travel without being overly limited by pain or fatigue, for as long as possible. This is where the importance lies in not reducing the benefits of physical activity to “quantity of life”; what about “quality of life”?
Getting back to Jacqueline, for example, it’s important to know that:
- She can only walk short distances: her cardiorespiratory capacity has declined significantly since she retired;
- She can’t reach all the shelves in her kitchen: her joint mobility is reduced, partly due to osteoarthritis;
- She can’t do her own grocery shopping: she doesn’t have enough strength and muscular endurance to carry it home;
- She can only go out in summer: in winter, she’s afraid of falling because of her lack of balance.
It’s important to know that in Canada, the daily lives of many people are similar to Jacqueline’s. In 2023, a study by Buckinx showed that the vast majority of people admitted to long-term care facilities are experiencing a loss of physical and cognitive autonomy (Buckinx et al., 2023).
Luckily, the body and brain can adapt at any age, and physical activity can improve all the aspects mentioned above (cardiorespiratory capacity, joint mobility, muscle strength, balance, and even cognitive abilities!), even in old age.
Even more encouraging, it appears that physical activity can lead to positive changes in autonomy, even with a reduced amount of time and intensity of effort compared to the 150 minutes at moderate or vigorous intensity that is often recommended (Bangsbo et al., 2019).
In short, if you care about your autonomy, and you probably do, there is no change in your physical activity level too small, nor is there an age too old to start. I’m not a fan of generic prescriptions, as they can be a double-edged sword, but if you don’t know where to start, I highly recommend consulting a kinesiologist. In Canada, kinesiologists are physical activity professionals, university-trained to adapt physical activity based on each individual’s condition and health. They are therefore valuable allies for anyone wishing to initiate changes in their physical activity while respecting their own rhythms, health, and limitations.
Are you concerned about your independent life expectancy? Would you like support in finding personalized solutions to facilitate the integration of more physical activity into your daily life? You can write to me at the following address: gary@kinobiconseil.com
Sources
Bangsbo, J., Blackwell, J., Boraxbekk, C. J., Caserotti, P., Dela, F., Evans, A. B., … & Viña, J. (2019). Copenhagen Consensus statement 2019: physical activity and ageing. British journal of sports medicine, 53(14), 856-858.
Buckinx, F., Peyrusqué, E., Kergoat, M. J., & Aubertin-Leheudre, M. (2023). Reference standard for the measurement of loss of autonomy and functional capacities in long-term care facilities. The Journal of Frailty & Aging, 12(3), 236-243.
Author
After four years of medical studies in Guadeloupe and France, Gary decided to reorient himself to follow his passion for physical activity. He completed a bachelor's degree and then a master's degree in physical activity sciences at the University of Montreal. Today, he specializes in the science of behavior change, a discipline that aims to make physical activity more accessible, regular, and realistic for everyone. As the founder of Kinobi Conseil, he provides personalized support to people experiencing motivational difficulties when it comes to physical activity. He is also a clinical instructor at the Kinesiology Clinic of the University of Montreal, where he contributes to student training.
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