Why Moving More Matters: The Benefits of Exercise for Healthy Ageing
Living in Brisbane for the past 6 years has afforded me many new exercise opportunities. Coming from a colder, damper climate in Canada where it can feel difficult to be motivated to get outside and be active, I have a developed a profound appreciation for the availability of sunshine and warm weather here in Southeast Queensland and the lovely bikeways, walking/running trails, parks and fields Brisbane maintains. As I approach the big 40 I also have gained more appreciation of the impact that no exercise has on my wellbeing. While not every day needs to be filled with intense exercise, most of our days here are chances to get outside, move our bodies, breath fresh air interact with our beautiful surroundings. It’s because of this bountiful climate I have come to call home that I want to write about the benefits of exercising for healthy ageing, due to the effects on both our bodies and our brains.
This blog will cover the following topics on exercise and ageing:
- What Happens to Our Bodies as We Age
- The Power of Exercise for Ageing Well
- Stronger Muscles & Bones
- Better Balance & Mobility
- Heart & Lung Health
- Mental Wellbeing
- Weight Management & Metabolism
- What Type of Exercise is Best?
- Getting Started – It’s Never Too Late!
- Local Tips for Staying Active in Brisbane
- How We Can Help at PhysioTec
Find our physio clinic in Salisbury, Brisbane
Our Brisbane Physiotherapy Clinic, services areas including: Salisbury, Brisbane, Tarragindi, Mount Gravatt, Holland Park, Rocklea, Yeronga, Annerley, Camp Hill, Carindale, Coorparoo, Salisbury, Sunnybank, Greenslopes, Seven Hills, Acacia Ridge, Indooroopilly, Woolloongabba, etc.
Because of our expertise in hip conditions, hypermobility, sports injuries, and dance injuries and performance, we also have people visiting us from all over Queensland, Australia and even international visitors. We also have a telehealth service for remote patients.
What Happens to Our Bodies as We Age?
One thing we can all relate to are age-related changes in our bodies. We feel connected to our fellow ageing persons and bond over our shared aches and pains from the various activities in our lives. Reminisce over stiff joints in the morning, share a laugh with a friend about feeling tired and how long it took to recover from that exercise class you signed up for last week, joke about the time you tried paddleboard yoga, but your balance just isn’t quite what it used to be or even boast about how you used to be able to remember all your friends phone numbers by heart but it’s just a bit harder these days.
More specifically, as we age changes occur in all our bodily tissues. Joints can lose some of their natural shock absorption through thinning cartilage, ligaments and tendons stiffen. Sarcopenia may occur as muscles can lose some of their strength and size due to hormonal changes and for many, reducing activity levels. Our bones can lose their mineral density as we age, Osteopenia or Osteoporosis are conditions that commonly occur as we age.
These are normal changes we all face as we age and it can be a humbling experience but the good news is, we can mitigate how much those changes affect us and the activities we love doing. Plus this is another opportunity to bond with others making the effort to understand and fight back against the effects of ageing!
Feeling stiffer, weaker, or less steady on your feet as the years go by?
Worried that aches, pains, or reduced mobility are slowing you down?
Our team at PhysioTec can help you stay active, strong, and confident as you age.
Book in with one of our physiotherapists today, and let us support you in moving well for life!
The Power of Exercise for Ageing Well
Stronger Muscles and Bones
- Regular resistance training (such as lifting weights, resistance bands, or bodyweight exercises) helps maintain muscle strength and bone health.
- Stronger muscles also support and protect the joints, making everyday tasks like climbing stairs, lifting groceries, or gardening easier and safer.
- Building larger muscles also increases your metabolism and helps reduce or maintain a healthy weight.
Better Balance and Mobility
- Exercises that improve balance and flexibility, such as yoga, tai chi, or targeted stability training, help older adults stay steady on their feet.
- Maintaining mobility and stability helps moving more freely and confidently and being more independent.
- Better balance also means reduced risks of falls and fracture or other injuries that can have a substantial impact on mobility and independence. Prevention is best!
Heart and Lung Health
- Exercise like walking, swimming, or cycling strengthens our cardiovascular health.
- Improved cardiovascular and respiratory health leads to more stamina for daily activities and lowers the risk of chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
Mental Wellbeing
- Exercise is great for us physically, but it’s also a powerful tool for our mental health and cognition.
- Physical activity stimulates the release of “feel-good” hormones (endorphins), which reduce anxiety and depression and boost mood.
- It also supports brain health - exercise provides benefits across general cognition, memory and decision making - it's one of the most powerful tools we have in the fight against dementia.
- Group exercise adds a social connection, which is another important factor in healthy ageing and reducing risks of dementia.
Weight Management & Metabolism
- Regular exercise helps used stored energy eg. calories, preserve lean muscle mass, and regulate blood sugar levels.
- This lowers the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other weight-related health issues.
- Building larger muscles with strength training increases metabolic rate
- Combined with a balanced diet, exercise is one of the best tools for maintaining a healthy body composition as we get older.
What Type of Exercise is Best?
There is no one form of exercise that is perfect for everyone. Trying a balanced approach can help you start moving in the right direction, but try to include some form of resistance training, due to it's specific benefits. When you’ve tried out a few different forms of exercise you can add or subtract activities to better suit your lifestyle and needs (but aim to keep up some form of regular resistance training).
Strength Training
- Weight lifting
- Body-weight resistance exercise like squats, lunges, step-ups planks or push-ups, resistance bands
- Pilates
Aerobic Exercise
- Walking
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Dancing
- Racquet sport
Balance & Mobility Work
- Tai chi
- Yoga
- Specific physio-guided exercises
Flexibility/Stretching
Maintain range of movement and comfort with a home routine that can be planned and individualised by your physiotherapist.
Some form of exercise should be done every day, and it may vary. In fact, it’s healthy to have variety in your choice of exercise. Some forms of exercise require multiple days of practice throughout the week to see improvements, for example, strength training requires multiple days (2-3 x per week) to begin to feel a change.
Strength training is one of the most important elements in ageing adults due to superior effects on muscle, bone and metabolism. It doesn't need to be in the gym - simple exercises and equipment are a great way to start at home. Get some advice and training from a physiotherapist first if you have never done resistance training and/or you have some aches and pains - we can develop you a rehab-resistance plan - Win-Win!
Aerobic exercise is something that be attempted on multiple days as well and may be done at different levels of intensity. Walking vs. running or cycling for example. Even walking may be changed for different levels of intensity by changing the distance or pace at which you walk. This way, when feeling a bit more stiff and sore in the morning you can still get out for a slower walk but still gain some aerobic benefit for the day.
Not sure what’s happening with your body as you get older?
Noticed changes in your strength, balance, or mobility?
Book today, and let one of our experienced Physiotherapists guide you with the right assessment, diagnosis, and a personalised plan, so you can stay active, strong, and independent as you age!
Getting Started – It’s Never Too Late!
Common questions and concerns when starting to exercise:
“What if I haven’t exercised in years?”
- No need to worry, we must start somewhere. For someone starting back into exercise after a long break, it means eating a slice of humble pie and starting low and slow. But consistency is still important, so having a nice, individualised plan set up for you can be really helpful and our physio team are experts in developing these plans.
“What should I do if I get pain when in my joints when I exercise, and/or I have a health condition”
- Ironically, exercise may be the best thing to help you, but you just need the right guidance to help assess and manage the joint pains you get from exercising or a healthcare professional to help you understand your health condition and how the right exercise can be of benefit to your health.
Tips to begin safely:
- Check with your GP or physiotherapist.
- Start small: 10–15 minutes a day is a great start.
- Choose something enjoyable to build consistency.
When beginning your exercise journey try these quick tips:
- Make an appointment with your doctor for a health check and your physiotherapist to develop you an individualised and targeted exercise plan.
- Take bites you can chew! Start small even if it doesn’t feel like much at the start, something is better than nothing, this should also help you recover faster so you’re ready to try again tomorrow.
- Find an exercise you enjoy doing and stay consistent. Keep trying and when you need a little extra help planning or maybe you’re getting some well-earned muscle soreness, check back in with your physio to fine-tune things a bit!
Local Tips for Staying Active in Brisbane
How great is Brisbane for activities!?! We have bike routes right along the rivers edge, extending out to the coast and up into the mountains filled with that sweet smelling eucalyptus. Walking tracks through the bush in Toohey Forest and Mt Coot-Tha, gorgeous green parks in Roma Street Gardens and City Botanical Gardens. The city councils often provide weekly Tai-Chi sessions in some local parks, and they can be free! How good!
There are so many pools in this town as well. Something I noticed as soon as I got here and loved. Many pools offer group classes like Aqua Aerobics or swim squads. And of course the very many Park Runs among our various suburbs. Although the name says run, you can choose to walk and many of us do. They happen every weekend and are a great way to get that aerobic fitness in your day while making connections with local active folk.
Looking for ways to get active around our local suburbs? We have done some research for you. Find ways you can get active in Tarragindi, Wellers Hill, Mount Gravatt, Holland Park, Holland Park West, Stones Corner, and Greenslopes.
How We Can Help at PhysioTec
PhysioTec has a lovely team of physiotherapists and Pilates Instructors, here to help support you on your exercise journey by helping assess your exercise needs and develop an effective plan to reach your fitness goals.
At PhysioTec, we offer individualised exercise programs that can help manage your musculoskeletal pain, build strength and improve balance and mobility.
We have Reformer-Pilates classes and group exercise circuits every week.
We also offer more in-depth running assessments and bike-fits to help diagnose and manage exercise pains or to help improve exercise efficiency and performance.
Worried about changes in your movement as you age?
Visit us at PhysioTec. Our experienced physiotherapy team can assess your needs and develop a personalised exercise plan to help you stay strong, mobile, and confident.
↓ MAKE A BOOKING TODAY ↓
Last thoughts on exercise and healthy ageing
I love this quote because it reminds me of the importance of physical activity and social interaction, so important for our physical being and also how we feel inside.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing" - George Bernard Shaw
Our bodies sure do change as we get older, some of those changes bring aches and pains with them. But you know what? It’s ok. It’s normal to feel stiffer and less flexible sometimes. What’s important to remember is that we can be physically active again, perhaps not to same degree as years ago, but maintaining a positive outlook on the things we can do and making an effort to get out and move our bodies can have a such an impact on the way we feel. Start with a little movement and let it grow into the as much exercise as you want. Don’t stop moving. If you’d like help getting started, our experienced physiotherapists are here to guide you.
Author
This blog was written by Tyler Cultum, one of our Sports and Strength & Conditioning Physiotherapists. He has broad interests in sports and musculoskeletal physiotherapy, with special interests in strength and conditioning, the shoulder and hip. You can read more about Tyler here.
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References:
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- Moreno-Agostino D, Daskalopoulou C, Wu YT, Koukounari A, Haro JM, Tyrovolas S, Panagiotakos DB, Prince M, Prina AM. The impact of physical activity on healthy ageing trajectories: evidence from eight cohort studies. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2020 Jul 16;17(1):92. doi: 10.1186/s12966-020-00995-8. PMID: 32677960; PMCID: PMC7364650.
- Yu R, Duncombe SL, Nemoto Y, Araujo RH, Chung HF, Mielke GI. Physical activity trajectories and accumulation over adulthood and their associations with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2025 Aug 26;59(17):1228-1241. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2024-109122. PMID: 40639966; PMCID: PMC12418563.