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A healthy body and agile mind are possible even in old age.
Those who do something preventive for their health throughout their life have a good chance of staying fit for a long time.
With regular exercise, age-appropriate training and the renunciation of excessive ambition, sport increases the quality of life and can give us valuable years.
Traveling, concerts and visiting museums, being active in your own garden or relaxing in pursuit of a hobby - this is how many imagine the time after their professional life.
No problem if body and mind are fit and healthy.
Newborn girls today have a life expectancy of 83 years, boys can look forward to an average of 78 years.
Anyone who has taken good care of themselves for decades holds good cards in hand to make their dreams come true.
"Prevention plays a major role here," says Professor Thomas Tischer, head of the sports orthopedics section at the Rostock Orthopedic Clinic.
"Ultimately, it decides whether someone can be actively on the move for the past ten or twenty years or rather has to spend immobile on the sofa."
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Ultimately, everything that serves our health belongs to prevention: obesity should be prevented, smoking should be given up, alcoholic beverages should only be consumed in moderation.
We should also exercise regularly.
Those who do not have to exercise harm the economy
As a specialist in prevention in the musculoskeletal system, Tischer keeps an eye on physical activities: “Sport is the most effective medicine.
In western countries, however, an average of 31.7 percent of women and 23.4 percent of men are lazy. "
A first global study in 2016 demonstrated the connection between a lack of physical activity and costs for the economy and health systems.
60 billion euros go to the account of those who do not exercise.
In this way, the lack of exercise could replace smoking as the number one killer.
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Who does what and how intensely, and what physical constitution does he or she bring with them?
Anyone who has not done sport for decades should first get a medical check-up.
And the goals should be realistic.
“Even a 50- or 60-year-old who starts jogging can aim for a marathon.
But the training has to be built up slowly, ”emphasizes the specialist.
"Anyone who is interested in free climbing should learn the climbing technique from a professional, and who, as a BMX fan, beats capers with his bike, needs the right protective clothing."
If people are overzealous or frivolous, they shouldn't be surprised about injuries.
Do not give one hundred percent right from the start, professional equipment and balanced training in order to avoid muscular overload or improper stress: this is how sport is fun and just does you good.
Accompaniment by trained trainers, learning a new sport from an experienced professional or participation in certified programs facilitate the start.
It's never too late for exercise
It is also not a bad idea to check regularly whether you have made stressful mistakes in your exercise routine.
It's never too late to get moving.
However, the more previous illnesses someone brings with them, the more important individual medical and therapeutic support is.
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Every year 400,000 Germans receive a joint replacement.
170,000 people need a new knee joint, 230,000 a new hip joint.
This is not only caused by the longer life expectancy, fractures or chronic inflammation.
“Obesity also plays a role,” says Tischer.
"We can take countermeasures here with conscious nutrition and regular exercise."
Artificial hip joint: Operations should only be the very last solution
Source: Getty Images / Science Photo Libra
According to the BfR, Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, six out of ten Germans carry too many pounds with them.
Of these, 20.5 percent of men and 29.5 percent of women are obese, i.e. pathologically overweight.
Getting your circulation going is actually very easy.
Going for a walk more often, ignoring the escalator or getting off the bus one or two stops earlier: one hour of exercise a day cancels out the negative effects of eight hours in the office, according to studies at Cambridge University.
Enjoy lifelong sport
Studies show that lifelong active people have a stronger immune system and are less prone to infections, chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases.
In order to promote the health of the next generation, it is said: practice early.
The desire to do lifelong sport starts with the very young.
Studies of school beginners show that motor skills decline more and more.
Many children find it increasingly difficult to stand on one leg, to coordinate arms and legs with the jumping jack or to roll forward.
If you want, you can make your regular fitness check easy with digital helpers.
Health and medical apps or digital diaries now provide many of us with information on a daily basis, for example about our blood pressure and heart rate, they show the daily number of steps or calculate the amount of table salt or calories consumed.
If you weigh yourself daily and follow your vital values, health becomes more tangible for you.
What is too little or not at all on the daily program for some, others exaggerate.
High-risk sports include riding or mountain biking, for example, due to the risk of falling.
Many young sports also have it all - like wingsuit flying with a bat-like suit, climbing without a climbing rope while bouldering or parcour, in which movement artists move with the greatest body control by jumping over obstacles or chasms to the goal.
Risk of injury in recreational sports
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“Football is the most popular sport worldwide and causes the most injuries,” reports Tischer.
“There are thousands of knee injuries in this sport alone every year.
The meniscus and ligaments are primarily affected, but we also see many muscle or ankle injuries.
Prevention here means recognizing the dangers of a sport, turning them off if possible or specifically strengthening the body. "
Caution, risk of injury: not only mountain biking on slippery roads, many other recreational sports are also risky
Source: dpa
In practice, this means for the far-sighted and health-oriented football coach, for example, to frequently pull the red card when dangerous fouls are given to young bullies or to make their muscles and joints fit with special strength training.
Those who do sport regularly gain a lot in quality of life.
The reward is not only an efficient body, the psyche and self-confidence are usually much more stable than with couch potatoes.
The improved blood circulation also has a positive effect on the gray cells.
More oxygen and nutrients keep the mind fit and flexible.
In addition, the aging process slows down, and people who are active tend to be more relaxed about stress.
“If you want to stay healthy, you have to take responsibility for yourself.
Sport and general prevention are not difficult to implement, but you just have to do it, ”advises Tischer.
"If you decide against it, you will unfortunately be presented with the receipt at some point."