Benefits of exercise in the elderly

There is an abundance of evidence supporting the claim that physical activity enhances the quality of life in both elderly men and women. These benefits extend well beyond the cardiovascular system and are not limited to those who get into the habit of exercise on a regular basis at a young age. It is apparent that physical exercise not only reduces the functional deterioration associated with ageing but also helps to reverse some of these trends in those who start an exercise program late in life. In this chapter, we have reviewed some of the physiological concepts associated with exercise training in the elderly together with some of the evidence supporting health benefits that are likely to follow in patients with common non-communicable diseases associated with ageing, such as coronary atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and osteoporosis.