Articles
The Journal on Active Aging brings articles of value to professionals dedicated to older-adult quality of life. Content sweeps across the active-aging landscape to focus on education and practice. Find articles of interest by searching the article archives in three ways: Enter a keyword in the articles search bar; click on search by topic; or type a keyword or phrase in the general search bar at the top of the page.
Topic- Functional training
Exercise following stroke: Start survivors on the road to recovery by Marianne Shaughnessy, PhD, CRNP
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of disability. Each year, more than 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke; approximately one every 40 seconds. Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability for the 6.4 million survivors in the US today. After age 55, the chance of having a stroke approximately doubles for each decade of life.
Rehabilitation and wellness professionals are in the best position to help these stroke survivors attain and maintain optimal levels of health and function. Each type of professional has a role to play.
Functional training
Exploring the "so what" of function by Pamela E. Toto, MS, OTR/L
When you hear the word “function,” what image comes to mind?
Is it a runner on a treadmill or a bodybuilder lifting weights? Is it an image of increased range of motion in the shoulder joint or independence for a sit-to-stand transfer? Is it the ability of a person to climb out of the bathtub, plant a garden or change the curtains in the living room?
Functional training
Improve function before knee replacement surgery by Robert Topp, RN, PhD and Phil Page, MS, PT; Ann M. Swank, PhD; Peter M. Quesada, PhD; John Nyland, EdD, PT and Arthur Malkani, MD
Osteoarthritis is a common chronic health condition. Among the estimated 27 million adults in the United States who had osteoarthritis in 2005, 33.6% were ages 65 and older (Lawrence, Felson, et al., 2008). One in 10 Canadians has osteoarthritis, and approximately 85% are ages 70 or older (Public Health Agency Canada).
moreFunctional training
Translational training: turning fitness gains into functional fitness by Joseph F. Signorile, Ph.D.
The active aging field emphasizes resistance training as an intervention to prevent falls, increase independence and improve mobility in older adults. A majority of studies examining resistance training supports its ability to increase strength, power and endurance in this population, but its impact on activities of daily living (ADL) performance, gait and fall prevention is not as convincing.
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What is functional movement? By Michael E. Rogers, Ph.D. and Phillip Page, M.S., P.T.
The buzzword "functional" has been loosely used in exercise training programs to describe exercises that are relevant to specific functional activities that we perform on a daily basis (known as "activities of daily living" or ADLs).These ADLs may be "basic ADLs" such as eating, grooming and bathing or "instrumental ADLs" such as mobility, gait and transfers. Higher levels of functional activity include specific tasks that are required for work or participation in recreational activities, such as swinging a tennis racquet.
moreFunctional training
Promote function with stability ball training by Terry Eckmann, Ph.D.
The benefits of stability ball training for older adults are numerous. Activity using stability balls can:
- Enhance proprioception
- Improve neuromuscular functioning
- Improve balance and coordination
- Increase strength
- Heighten postural awareness
- Focus on functional movement
- Develop flexibility
- Promote muscle balance
- Add fun and variety
- Provide new business
