Weight training with age

Weight training brings benefits, even to aging athletes: but pumping iron also brings its share of injury risks to consider.
Medical professionals recommend exercise programs that include a cardiovascular routine as well as strength and flexibility training. Regardless of age, weight lifting can be a crucial part of that strength training component. Today it’s not uncommon to see a few gray hairs in the weight room at the local gym as weekend warriors and Baby Boomers alike find ways to stay lean and healthy.

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Muscle loss with age.
Most adults achieve their peak muscle mass sometime during their late 30s to early 40s. After that point, a gradual loss of muscle mass begins and can continue a steady, downhill course into old age. This age-related loss of muscle mass, strength and function is known as sarcopenia, and it can happen quicker than you think.

Weight training improves muscle and bone strength and even increases metabolism, says John Toth, DO, an orthopedic surgeon with the Banner CORE Center for Orthopedics. On a more sobering note, however, he adds, “Unfortunately, [it] also comes with a high probability of injury when not done right.”

There are plenty of ways to get weight lifting wrong, Dr. Toth adds. Here, he offers a few tips for staying injury free.

Most adults achieve their peak muscle mass sometime during their late 30s to early 40s. After that point, a gradual loss of muscle mass begins and can continue a steady, downhill course into old age. This age-related loss of muscle mass, strength and function is known as sarcopenia, and it can happen quicker than you think.

No limits
Unfortunately, that competitive drive that gets us into the weight room in the first place may also be the very element that puts us back on the sidelines. Lifting “too much, too soon” is one of the most common ways weight-lifting injuries occur, Dr. Toth explains.

Bodybuilding legend Dave Draper perhaps said it best in a 2009 interview: “It’s that last rep and the extra plates that kill you.”

That’s especially the case for anyone eager to pack on muscle quickly, shed weight fast or get into competitive shape as soon as possible. A slow start can feel like weakness at first, but it can be key to keeping us injury free, according to Dr. Toth.

Form
If we can put aside the need to lift more and focus on proper form, we’re more likely to see the benefits, not consequences, of weight lifting, Dr. Toth suggests. He recommends consulting a personal trainer to learn about proper form and lifting technique. And if a trainer is not in the budget, often times gym staff may offer some on-the-spot guidance for staying injury free.

Paying attention to pain
Sprains, strains and tears that develop over a long time or even suddenly are far too common in weight lifting, Dr. Toth explained. The shoulder rotator cuff injury is very common thanks to overuse or improper form when lifting weights. It’s an injury that, if severe enough, could put an athlete out of action for a year. Tennis star Maria Sharapova and basketball great Kobe Bryant are just a couple of professional athletes who have been sidelined by rotator cuff tears. When lifting, overlooking pain can lead to serious tears and strains.

“Pain is not supposed to be part of the experience,” said Dr. Toth. “If it hurts, your body is telling you something’s not quite right. Reduce the amount of weight you’re lifting or stop the exercise entirely for a few days. Give your body a chance to recover and then gradually ease back into it.”

Stretching
More recently, static stretches, or those held for 30 seconds at a time, have been labelled ineffective. For a cardiovascular routine, that may very well be the case. So, often physicians and trainers will recommend slow activity like jogging for warm up, instead.

However, sport-specific warm ups are also encouraged, adds Tyler Collins, MD, an orthopedic sports medicine surgeon with the Banner CORE Center for Orthopedics. In the case of weight lifting, a trainer can help us better understand the proper static stretches that may help to increase flexibility and range of motion, which are key to avoiding weight room injuries.

Getting sloppy
It may sound odd, but each year thousands of weight-lifting injuries occur as a result of clumsiness or by simply not paying attention. That dropped dumb bell and not asking for a spot when it’s really needed are just two scenarios where injuries occur.

Using common sense, slowing down and not trying to do too much, too soon, Dr. Toth noted, can help us avoid these painful – and embarrassing – moments.

To learn more about how the Banner CORE Center for Orthopedics can help you lead an active, healthy lifestyle, visit bannercorecenter.com.

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