LESS than half an hour of walking, swimming or tennis each day could slash your risk of a fall in old age.
A study found retired women were up to a third less likely to hurt themselves in a tumble if they did at least two-and-a-half hours of light exercise each week.
AlamyBrisk walking is enough exercise to get stronger and reduce your risk of having a fall[/caption]
It is equal to just 22 minutes per day – and extra time brings bigger benefits.
One in three elderly Brits have a fall each year and many end up in hospital with broken bones or knocks to the head.
Experts led by the University of Sydney said activity to increase muscle strength and improve balance may reduce the risk.
Falls are a leading cause of deadly injury
Wing Kwok
Writing in the journal Jama Network Open, study author Wing Kwok said: “Falls are the world’s second-leading cause of deadly injury.
“Participation in leisure-time physical activity was associated with lower risk of falls, but the associations were not found for those who participated in less than 150 minutes per week.
“Brisk walking and moderate or moderate-to-vigorous activity were all associated with lower risk.”
Five hours of exercise per week cut risk by a third
The research used data from 7,139 women between the ages of 65 and 73 in Australia.
It found doing 150 to 300 minutes of exercise per week reduced fall risk by 26 per cent, while more than 300 minutes – five hours – cut the risk by 34 per cent.
Brisk walking was enough to lower the risk by 17 per cent compared to no exercise at all.
Social tennis or swimming counted as moderate exercise, while aerobics, running and cycling were vigorous.
The NHS says retired people should aim to be active every day.
This can include housework, walking, dance classes and mowing the lawn, and should involve muscle strengthening movements on two days a week.
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF EXERCISE
DOCTORS and health experts want us all to exercise regularly because the upsides are seemingly endless – but most of us don’t do enough.
Here are some of the benefits:
Weight loss – Exercise burns calories and fat and reduces weight gain or can help you lose it. This is the driving force behind many of its other health effects.
Heart and lungs – Challenging your heart and lungs, known as the cardiovascular system, makes the organs stronger and more efficient, reducing the risk of heart disease. Fitness increases blood flow and oxygen supply to the rest of the body, keeping the muscles, joints and other organs healthier too.
Brain – Better blood flow and oxygen improve brain health and studies have found exercise reduces the risk of developing dementia in old age. Workouts also release feel-good hormones that may lower the risk of depression.
Diabetes – Being active improves your body’s ability to regulate sugar in the blood and reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Obesity is a trigger and exercise can keep your weight healthy.
Cancer – Studies have found exercising regularly reduces your risk of developing a number of types of cancer. The main reason for this is that carrying too much extra fat increases the risk, and exercising can burn it off.
Joint pain – It seems counter-intuitive but exercise can reduce joint pain and lower the risk of arthritis. Using limbs more strengthens muscle around the joints, stabilising them, and extra blood flow to the area helps to lubricate cartilage and increase flexibility.