The key seemed to be that the most active seniors did more than just run; they swam, walked and lifted weights, which left them with significantly less pain compared to those who were less active. And exercisers who stopped running but still kept up high levels of other activities enjoyed benefits similar to those of hard-core runners.
The point, Bruce says, is that just about any type of exercise is helpful, regardless of your age.
"The studies on the benefits of physical activity just keep piling up," she says. It’s possible, according to Bruce, that the vigorous exercisers reported less pain because they tend to have a higher threshold for pain to begin with. But having followed the study participants for so long, she says she is confident that the exercise itself had genuine effects.
Indeed, Bruce believes that physical activity fits a natural need that many forgot with the invention of the couch.
"Humans were meant to move, not sit," she says. In the very early days, exercise was geared toward running away from predators and hunting for food. But the same principles apply today.
Of course, not every 71-year-old is meant to launch a marathon career, as Wood-Allen did. Seniors who are sedentary or have chronic health conditions should talk with their doctors about safely starting an exercise regimen. And don’t feel you have to jump from the couch to the running trail.
"Any exercise that you enjoy is good to do," says Bruce.
