Monica Gupta never considered herself a runner. Running was for healthy people with perfect bodies. As a beer-drinking, chip-loving woman feeling dumpy after having two kids, Gupta didn’t think she fit the picture. She was also worried about taking on a pavement-pounding, high-impact activity.

For the 37-year-old Toronto resident, aerobic exercise is complicated by plantar fasciitis, flat feet and hyperpronation. That is, she experiences heel pain due to inflammation in her plantar fascia (the tissue along the bottom of the foot that extends from the heel to the toes), and the arches on her feet collapse causing her feet to rotate inwards when she walks. These conditions have caused her constant pain over the years and made walking for long periods — especially without orthotics — difficult. Her last pregnancy also caused sciatica — pressure on the sciatic nerve which sends pain shooting from the back or buttocks down the leg, sometimes as far as the foot.

But despite her concerns, Gupta was persuaded to take up running this spring. “My friends were doing it and I felt if they can do it, I can do it. After having two babies, I needed to lose weight and I always wanted to look like those happy people jogging.” But she wasn’t one of those happy people in the first week of her learn-to-run program; she was in excruciating pain. She knew, however, that if she persisted, running could actually help her. So she took precautions to protect her physical condition and prevent new injuries at the same time.

Begin slowly
Gupta had good reason to be cautious. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), sports injuries are the No. 2 reason for baby boomers to see their physicians. “There are a lot of weekend warriors participating in sports and either their bodies aren’t conditioned or they’re pushing themselves beyond what they can do,” says Vancouver-based Colin Milner, CEO of the International Council on Active Aging, the world’s largest senior fitness trade association.

According to experts, before going out and running a marathon or triathlon, you must build a solid foundation. Start slowly, especially if you’ve been sedentary. If your daily goal is to walk 10,000 steps, start with 5,000 and add 400 or 500 steps each day. If your goal is to run a half-marathon, begin with a walk-run, increasing the amount of run time each week. And make sure you take at least one day off a week. The most common mistake people make is doing too much, too soon. “People push themselves, get injured and then don’t come back,” Milner says.

Last October, 48 year-old senior ad sales executive Stephen King broke his collarbone while playing hockey. Playing hockey was a great way to burn off both calories and stress — at least until his skate caught in a rut and he crashed into the boards. His fractured clavicle kept him inactive for a few months until finally being given the green light to go skiing four months later. Although he broke his collarbone in younger years, King says it hurt more as an adult.

That’s hardly surprising. As we age, we lose 50 per cent of our strength and 75 per cent of our power. So whether you decide to take up ice hockey, hit the slopes or go biking, be sure to incorporate cardio and strength training.

As women age, they lose bone density, and during menopause 50 per cent of women have osteopenia (lower-than-normal bone mineral density), making strength training critical. As men age, they begin storing fat on their bellies earlier than women, putting them at risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure and cancer. However, a well-rounded exercise program is critical for men and women alike.

“Whether you take up ice hockey, hit the slopes or go biking, incorporate cardio and strength training”

The Canadian Medical Association recommends that men over 40 and women over 50 have be pre-screened before adopting an active lifestyle. Doctors can prescribe an exercise program based on medical history, pre-existing conditions, family history, current lifestyle and goals. The Canadian Academy of Sports Medicine (CASM) prescribes programs based on the FITT principle: frequency, intensity, time and type.

“Doctors generally spend the most time figuring out the type of program best for each individual,” says the CASM’s Halifax-based president, Dr. Kent Pottle. It’s important that all programs include at least some cross training since exercising the same muscle groups in the same manner every day can lead to injuries from over-use.

Trina Lambe, a Toronto-based personal trainer and owner of Train by Trina recommends changing up a program every month. For example, try hot yoga one month, then spinning classes or pilates the next. “It’s also vital to work not just the extremities but the core as well, and to ensure that your program incorporates flexibility training,” she says.

Trainers also recommend working at a moderate level — 50 to 80 per cent of your maximum heart rate (subtract your age from 220). If you don’t have a heart rate monitor and don’t know how to take your own pulse, you can judge your intensity with “talk test.” You should be able to talk while working out, but not sing. If you can’t talk, then your intensity is probably too high, but if you can sing, then it’s time to step things up.

The right equipment
Proper equipment is also important to prevent injuries, and nothing is more important than your feet. “Quality footwear is your foundation,” Lambe says. Make sure shoes aren’t worn — runners should change their shoes about every 600 km. A good sports bra is also important, especially for women with large breasts. Don’t wear the sports bra all day; most compress your breast tissue having a negative effect on circulation.

Proper equipment was essential for Gupta. She bought the right footwear — something that would fit her orthotics — and started off slowly with a 20-minute walk-to-run plan. The program was broken down in five-minute intervals with the first week consisting of 4.5 minutes of walking and 30 seconds of running. Each week, she increased the running portion by 30 seconds while reducing the walking time.

“The most common mistake people make is doing too much, too soon”

Gupta persevered through her initial pain and ran her first 5K race in July. Not only has she lost 10 to 15 pounds, but she now experiences less foot pain. Running forced her to do her doctor-recommended stretches, something she never had the time or will to do before.

Though the risk of injury is real — regardless of age — active aging advocate Milner still thinks it’s worthwhile. “The upside to the quality of life is significantly more than the downside. If your prescription for life is sitting in front of the TV, then your body will atrophy.” Too often, it seems, we turn to medicine when the best cure is simply to get moving.•