Active aging professionals (American College of Sport Medicine and American Heart Association) unveiled updated physical activity recommendations for healthy adults ages 50 years and older that reflect the growing importance of ensuring safe, effective physical activity . (August 1, 2007)

Functional health is an important benefit of physical activity for older adults. Physical activity contributes to the ease of doing everyday activities, such as gardening, walking or cleaning the house.

Both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity are critical for healthy aging. Moderate -intensity aerobic exercise means that a person should still be able to carry on a conversation during exercise.

Strength training is extremely important. Strength training is important for all adults, but especially so for older adults, as it prevents loss of muscle mass and bone, and is beneficial for functional health.

Flexibility is also important. Each day you perform aerobic or strength-training activities, take an extra 10 minutes to stretch the major muscle and tendon groups, with 10 - 30 seconds for each stretch. Repeat each stretch 3 - 4 times. Flexibility training will promote the ease of performing everyday activities.

Older adults with chronic conditions should develop an activity plan with a health professional to manage risks and take therapeutic needs into account. This will maximize the benefits of physical activity and ensure your safety.

It is also recognized that the goal of 30 minutes or more of physical activity on most days needs to be adjusted to the personal needs of older adults who have physical impairments or functional limitation.

If you can exceed the minimum recommendations, do it! The minimum recommendations are just that: the minimum needed to maintain health and see fitness benefits. If you can exceed the minimum, you can improve your personal fitness, improve management of an existing disease or condition, and reducer your risk for health conditions and mortality.