More baby boomers over 40 years of age are exercising
regularly
More and more people, who are over forty or those born in 1946
to 1964 (the baby boomers), are realizing the benefits of taking up some form of sports or
exercising regularly in a gym. They are much more aware that regular exercise and gym workouts not only
slow down the aging process but will also give them more years of active lifestyle and a
better quality of life.
This is well and good as exercising regularly severely cut down
the risks of getting age and obesity related diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases,
stroke, some forms of cancers which can be potentially fatal.
Nobody likes to die young if they can help it and over forties baby boomers know
it.
It is heartening to know that more over forties baby boomers
are taking charge of their health by exercising and working out regularly so as to improve their lives
and are becoming fitter, healthier and stronger. Many are so successful with exercising that they do not look
or feel their age. However, with more middle aged people exercising and
playing some form of sports, instances of injuries sustained from these exercise related
activities have risen substantially. Partly due to ignorance and partly to nonchalant attitudes.
In the United States, these gym or sports injuries have become
the number 2 reason for people visiting the doctor's office, with the common cough and
cold at the number 1 position, as reported by the National
Ambulatory Medical Care in 2003.
A Consumer Product Safety Commission research in 1998 found
that sports related injuries to over 40s baby boomers had risen by 33 percent
since 1991 and contributed to US$18.7 billion in medical costs. That is a lot of money and the money can be saved
if the baby boomers make simple efforts to avoid workout injuries.
Outdoor sports such as tennis, jogging and golf are very
popular with people over forties. Not to be outdone, the more body conscious baby boomers are
joining gym memberships and working out with weights in droves for the sake of looking younger
and more beautiful. Of course the health benefits come as a bonus.
Gyms in all developed countries are exuberantly reporting
skyrocketing sales in new gym memberships year after year with a large pool of
their members being the over forties baby boomers brigade. Males and females alike, the baby boomers are trying hard to
slow down
the aging process because they now have more disposable income, free time and
better health education than their predecessors did.
As over forties baby boomers get older, their susceptibility to
sports injuries rise proportionately. As people age, their body degenerate along with their age,
although exercising regularly is supposed to slow down this very degeneration process. This is particularly so for the risky weekend warriors
who take to the running tracks or lifting weights to build their body with gusto only during
weekends, putting their aging bodies and joints to sudden busts of unaccustomed stressful activities, ignorantly causing
severe stress and damages to their own bodies.
What are the common over 40s baby boomer's sports
injuries?
.Shoulder injuries - Common for those playing
squash, tennis, badminton and lifting weights in the gym using wrong form and techniques. Our
shoulders are the most unstable joints in our body and that is why extra care
must be taken when exercising the shoulders.
.Elbow injuries - People who play racket games and bodybuilders especially those whose are focusing on building big arms.
.Back injuries - A very common occurrence in the gym amongst baby boomer bodybuilder wannabes. Also a common injury for golfers who often have to
swing their spine to hit the golf balls.
.Knee injuries - For over 40s baby boomers who participate in sports with sudden movements and changes of directions such as squash, rugby and soccer.
.Ankle injuries - Usually afflicting the middle aged runners, joggers and robust sport participants.
How to avoid the risks of sports injuries for the over
forties baby boomers?
Common sense though the answers are, it is uncommon to see the
over forties baby boomers doing them.
.Thorough warm of the muscles and joints which will be involved
in the exercise or sport about to be undertaken.
.Stretching adequately and correctly. Most people stretch in the wrong manner which then may cause even more injuries.
