The following article is a sponsored post and feature in Healthy Aging® Magazine
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) at Aviv Clinics in The Villages, Florida
By Dr. Mohammed Elamir
As we age, maintaining our health becomes increasingly important, and one of the most effective ways to achieve this is through regular exercise. Physical activity is not just about staying fit, whether you’re a pro athlete or a weekend warrior. It is a crucial component of preserving independence, enhancing quality of life, and preventing a range of health issues.
The CDC recommends that adults 65 and older participate in at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activities, such as brisk walking, or 75 minutes weekly of vigorous-intensity activities, like aerobics or running.
Between the ages of 65 and 80, our muscle mass can decrease by up to 8% per decade; however, regular exercise can help older adults increase muscle strength, maintain a healthy weight, improve mobility and balance, and even boost their cognitive function.
Below, I’ll share a few tips for achieving and maintaining peak performance as you age.
Resistance training helps improve muscle mass and bone density. Photo: Deposit Photos
Benefits of Resistance and Strength Training
Older athletes should incorporate strength and resistance training into their exercise routine at least two to three times a week to help improve muscle mass and bone density.
Strength training increases bone density and builds muscles, helping to preserve strength, independence, and energy. Meanwhile, resistance training can help improve muscular endurance, speed, agility, power, and reaction times.
Examples of strength workouts for older adults include water aerobics, resistance band workouts, and body weight exercises.
A low-impact weightlifting routine can help alleviate joint pain and improve overall mobility.
Functional fitness routines can also be beneficial for those less comfortable using weights, such as wall push-ups, calf raises, and other smaller, repeated movements that can be accomplished without equipment.
Incorporating any of these exercises into your routine a few times a week can reduce signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, including arthritis, back pain, and obesity.
Reducing Fall Risk through Aerobic Activity
Each year, there are about 1 million fall-related hospitalizations among older adults. For older athletes, a single fall can result in potentially lifelong injury or disability.
Aerobic exercise reduces the risk of falling by promoting better balance and agility. It comes in many forms – walking, cycling, dancing, and team sports like pickleball. Aerobic exercises provide additional health benefits to older adults, including improved heart health, lower blood pressure, and a decreased resting heart rate. These activities can help seniors maintain their stamina levels to continue to enjoy an active lifestyle.
In addition to aerobic exercise, stability can be improved through balance activities like walking backward, standing on one leg, or using a wobbleboard. These activities can help to prevent falls and reduce the risk of injuries.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that involves breathing 100% pure oxygen in a pressurized HBOT suite (often called a hyperbaric oxygen chamber). This process increases oxygen levels in the body 10–15 times higher than normal and has been long-proven to speed up the body’s healing and rejuvenation abilities. The suite pictured is from the facility at Aviv Clinics in The Villages, Florida.
Using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to Optimize Athletic Performance
In recent years, studies have offered evidence that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can be an effective intervention to address injuries, aid in recovery, and improve athletic output, especially in older athletes looking to reach their full potential.
In published, peer-reviewed clinical trials, HBOT has been shown to increase physical performance, improve mental clarity, promote better sleep, and provide increased energy. However, HBOT alone isn’t enough to reach your full potential.
At Aviv Clinics, our Medical Program can combine an innovative and unique HBOT protocol with cognitive and physical training and nutritional coaching to transform the way the brain and body repair themselves. This program has produced higher strength and endurance in Aviv’s clients by improving anaerobic threshold, enhancing maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max), and increasing muscle power. By naturally delivering more oxygen-rich blood to the brain, the Aviv Medical Program can also improve memory, attention, focus, and processing speed in older adults.
Dean Lampe preparing for Leadville 100 race. Photo: Courtesy of Aviv Clinics
I’d like to tell you about one of our remarkable clients. At 55, Dean Lampe wanted to improve his athletic performance as he prepared for one of the toughest mountain bike races in the country – the Leadville 100. After completing the Aviv Medical Program, which included 60 hyperbaric sessions alongside various other therapies, Dean could ride harder for longer and saw impressive improvements across a variety of areas:
- 40% improvement in anaerobic threshold
- 10% improvement in aerobic exercise capacity
- 25% improvement in muscle strength
- 14% reduction in fall risk
In addition to its physical and cognitive benefits, research indicates that after exercise, HBOT can be effective in relieving exercise-induced inflammation to support athletic recovery. This is because the influx of oxygen produced by HBOT can help to generate energy and support cellular metabolism.
Whether you’re a professional athlete or simply looking to enhance your athletic capabilities to their highest potential, HBOT can improve your physical and cognitive capabilities, contributing to better overall athletic performance.
Deane Lampe, 55, mountain bike racer. Photo: courtesy of Aviv Clinics
An Active Lifestyle is Crucial to Healthspan
As we age, keeping our bodies strong and resilient is imperative to reducing the development of chronic health conditions, lessening the risk of falls, and maintaining an independent and fulfilling lifestyle.
By prioritizing strength training and aerobic exercise, older athletes can experience a variety of health benefits, including reduced chronic pain, improved cardiovascular and bone health, increased stamina and energy, and even cognitive improvement.
Treatments like HBOT can also help achieve peak athletic performance. It’s never too late to optimize your healthy aging journey and increase the number of years you live independently, happy, and free from disease.
Dr. Mohammed Elamir, or “Dr. Mo” to his patients, has been part of the Aviv Clinics team in The Villages since the clinic opened in 2020. With more than a decade of experience in internal medicine, he is a skilled physician who has treated thousands of patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease, hypertension, congestive heart failure, arthritis, chronic pain, obesity, and sports-related injuries in adults. As Aviv’s lead physician, he oversees the medical treatment for all clients in the Aviv Medical Program, collaborating with other members of Aviv’s clinical team to provide truly comprehensive care.
