Physical Activity Prescription for the Older Adult

In brief: Disuse accounts for about half of the functional decline that occurs between ages 30 and 70, and aging causes the other half. This article describes how to reverse the decline caused by disuse with a physical activity program tailored to the needs of older adults. The authors give safety tips for exercise testing with a bicycle ergometer and treadmill, as well as a step test that can be performed while sitting. They also present simple equations for computing percent of maximum heart rate, maximum met level, calories used during exercise, and duration of exercise at a particular intensity. Specific examples of how to use the equations are included, along with a list of activities and their met levels.