Whether you’re new to strength training, improving your routine, or recovering from an injury, it is important to learn how to continue to protect your body and age well. Dr. Egan is joined by Dr. Kelly Armstrong, MD, who will share her expertise regarding the importance of strength training and flexibility for women in every stage of life and strategies to build strength and resilience.
Dr. Armstrong earned her undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering before pursuing medical school, where she discovered her passion for physical medicine. She seamlessly integrates her engineering background with her expertise in understanding human movement to help people improve their mobility function and overall well-being as a physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor.
After undergoing a personal journey with cancer risk, Dr. Armstrong’s passion for women’s health was deepened. When she discovered she carried the BRCA gene, significantly increasing her risk for breast and ovarian cancer , Dr. Armstrong faced many difficult decisions that led to her undergoing multiple surgeries to reduce her risk. These included a bilateral mastectomy, hysterectomy, and removal of her ovaries. She shared her struggle with surgical menopause post-opt, where she experienced brain fog due to decreased estrogen. With firsthand experience of the midlife challenges and changes women face, Dr. Armstrong strives to help women age well through physical medicine and empower them to thrive in their midlife.
Physical Medicine evaluates overall body function. Patients may come in with a variety of issues such as back pain, joint pain, or difficulty moving due to neurological issues, stroke, or spinal cord injury. Many times, individuals are seeking answers for undiagnosed pain that a physical medicine doctor will diagnose through tests and evaluations. After testing, the next step is to discuss potential barriers, functional goals, and then determine the best holistic treatment option. The goal of physical medicine is to help individuals overcome and adapt body function to improve their lives.
When we think of exercise, often our minds go straight to cardio. While cardio is important to get your heart pumping and nurture your heart health, strength training is essential in protecting us as we age. With age, the risk of injuries, pain, and diseases increases. When a woman enters midlife, incorporating weight-bearing exercise helps support bone health, boost mood, build muscle mass, and maintain a healthy metabolic rate as transitional changes occur.
It can be hard to know where to start, but the first step is setting goals. Think about where you want to be in 5 or 10 years. This can help motivate you and give you a clear direction. If your goal is to be able to sit on the ground and move around with your grandchildren without help, you need to do exercises to build the strength and flexibility to get up on your own. Incorporating both strength and flexibility training challenges your muscles to work at their maximum capacity, stretch and handle the range of motion needed for movement and repetitive tasks. If your goal is to keep running long distances, as you age, your risk for injury increases making it essential to incorporate strength training into your routine to protect against injury.
This doesn’t have to be a journey you do alone. Ask your doctor for recommendations, join a beginner’s class, or even schedule one session with a knowledgeable trainer. As you begin, be conscious of your breathing. When you get a little breathless and conversation becomes difficult, that is your sign you are working hard enough. The breathlessness indicates you are getting your heart pumping.
When lifting, focus on both eccentric movements and concentric movements. Eccentric movements are when your muscle lengthens under tension, like when you lower the weight in a bicep curl. Concentric movements are when the muscle contracts with tension, like when you bring the weight up in a bicep curl. Both movements are important for building strength, and learning to control movement. Many of these motions mimic similar motions in daily function, helping you build and maintain important functions to reach your goal.
The natural aging process results in changes in hormones and how our bodies respond to exercise. Pain, discomfort, and risk of injury will inevitably increase, and it can be difficult to determine if it is an injury or soreness. If you are new to exercising, it is realistic that you will be sore. Soreness should not be a fire alarm pain but feel more like, “Oh yeah, I can feel my body.” Your muscles tighten up around a point of pain, so it’s important to combat it functionally with gentle movement, heat and ice, and stretching. If your pain is more than soreness, immediately connect with your provider. As medical science continues to grow, we are learning that when you are injured, the best medicine is getting up and moving as soon as possible.
Whether you are experiencing menopause or getting ahead with preventive lifestyle changes, true. providers are committed to walking alongside you through your health journey. It can feel intimidating to start new exercises or walk into the gym without an idea of what to do. At true., we create a personalized plan and provide resources so you don’t have to feel that way! Now is the time for change! Connect with us today to start understanding how strength training can help you strut through midlife stronger and more confidently.
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