Fitness and muscle building, "muscle" cannot be lost

In recent years, due to unreasonable and unscientific diet and living habits, the number of people suffering from the "three highs" (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood lipids) has increased, and the age of the people is getting younger and younger. When it comes to the "three highs", everyone is worried, but around us, there are still a considerable number of elderly and middle-aged people who are endangered by a disease that is visible but easily ignored due to lack of exercise or improper diet. It is "sarcopenia".

Sarcopenia, as the name suggests, means that the muscles are reduced or atrophied. Once the muscles atrophy, it manifests as a decrease in muscle mass and strength. For middle-aged and elderly people, it may not be obvious in the short term, but as time accumulates, it will bring a series of hazards, such as decreased athletic ability, limited immune function, disordered sugar and fat metabolism, prone to hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. For elderly people with underlying diseases, it will increase the risk of death.

According to relevant research, the occurrence of sarcopenia is mostly caused by unreasonable lifestyles, lack of exercise and improper diet, and the disease is becoming younger and younger . Unlike general diseases, sarcopenia does not cause symptoms such as fever, pain, bleeding, and no obvious indicators such as "three highs". It can be said to be an "invisible killer". Therefore, for middle-aged and elderly people, early prevention, early detection, and early diagnosis and treatment are the key . So how can we effectively prevent and treat the occurrence of sarcopenia through regular and scientific rehabilitation exercises?

Next, I will introduce a set of chair aerobics suitable for daily training of patients with sarcopenia. There are six sections in total:

Section 1 Seated Raise

1. Sit on a chair with your feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Bend your elbow to about 90°, or do a side raise.

3. Extend your elbow upward until your arm is straight.

4. Return to the starting position.

Section 2 Sit-ups

1. Sit in the front half of a chair with your feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Cross your hands in front of your chest, lean back slightly and lightly touch the back of the chair.

3. Slowly lean your torso forward from a backward position to a fully upright position.

4. Return to the starting position.

Section 3 Seated Leg Press

1. Sit on a chair with your feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Tiptoe on one foot and lift it naturally.

3. Extend your knees and legs forward and downward.

4. Return to the raised position.

Section 4: Seated Lift

1. Sit on a chair with your feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Straighten your torso and lean forward about 30°.

3. Bend your elbows and extend your shoulders upward to the maximum range.

4. Lower back to the starting position with arms straight.

Section 5 Seated Side Bend

1. Sit on a chair with your feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Keep your torso straight and cross your hands behind your head.

3. Bend the trunk to one side.

4. Return to the starting position.

Section 6 Sit-Stand Exercise

1. Stand in front of a chair with your feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Raise your arms horizontally in front of you, slowly bend your spine and knees and squat down.

3. Pause as you approach the chair and place your weight on it.

4. Push down with the entire sole of your foot to return to the starting position.

Each of the above chair aerobics can be repeated 6-12 times, 20-30 minutes a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. You can also start with low-intensity exercises and gradually increase the time, intensity (weight or speed), number of times, number of sets or difficulty when you feel very relaxed. But it should be noted that during the training process, if you feel chest tightness, dizziness, cold sweats, muscle cramps, severe joint pain and other discomforts, stop exercising immediately.

Whether you are elderly or middle-aged, let us work out together to build muscle. We cannot lose muscle!

Author: Gao Caiping, Zhang Shiyu, Zhang Yujuan, Wu Yunfeng (Shanghai Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University)

Chief Judge: Zhai Hua (Secretary of the Party Committee of Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Shanghai, and Vice Chairman of the Science Popularization Working Committee of the Chinese Rehabilitation Medicine Association)