5 Exercises To Avoid If You Are Over 50

It is a well-known fact that exercising every day benefits your health and doctors suggest that people of all age groups should indulge in some form of physical activity. Keeping yourself physically active increases your energy levels, improves brain functioning, lowers the risk of chronic disease and prevents the loss of memory later in life.

As you age, your muscles start to lose muscle mass, strength, and function. According to a study, muscle mass decreases by 3-8% per decade after the age of 30, and the rate is even higher after the age of 60 ^[1] .

There are certain exercises like jogging, swimming, and walking which provide an array of health benefits. However, there are other kinds of exercises that one should never consider doing after the age of 50 to avoid possible injury.

Exercises To Avoid If You Are Over 50

1. Leg press

If you are suffering from arthritis and other joint-related health issues like gout, sprain, strains, and bursitis you should avoid doing leg press exercise. This exercise can create unnecessary strain on the knees and may affect the ligaments and tendons that surround your knee joint ^[2] .

2. Deadlifts

Deadlift is a high-intensity exercise that can put you at risk of knee injury, especially when you are above the age of 50. The older you get, your muscles start losing their strength and this can lead to a spinal injury ^[3] .

3. Squat

Since, squat exercise engages multiple joints, it can cause knee pain or injury. If you have osteoarthritis or an injury or trauma in the knee, you should avoid squatting ^[3] .

4. Bench press

Performing bench press inappropriately can cause harm to your shoulders, wrists, and pectoral muscles. But, when you get older, your joints won't able to handle the pressure and weight involved in the bench press exercise. This could put you at a greater risk of injury ^[4] .

5. Lat-pull down

Lat pull-down is an exercise that works several joints and muscles at once. This exercise requires you to pull weights behind your back and puts a lot of stress on the anterior joint capsule of the shoulder and can eventually lead to rotator cuff tears ^[5] .

To Conclude...

Low-impact exercises such as running, walking, cycling and jogging are beneficial for people who are older above the age of 50. These exercises will not cause any injury and cause less stress in the muscles and ligaments.