Healthy Exercise in Your 40s

As you age, it's important to adjust your exercise routine to avoid injuries. Here are some tips for safe exercise in middle age:

• Don't abandon your favorite exercise just because you're getting older. You can keep playing tennis or softball, golfing or doing any of the things you've always enjoyed.
• Warm up your muscles before strength training. Five or 10 minutes on the elliptical machine or stationary bike gives you a good light warmup before lifting weights.
• Incorporate a good flexibility program alongside your strength training program. Whether it's yoga or a simple stretching routine, it will help you stay flexible and decrease the risk of tendon tears and other injuries.
• If you're used to lifting free weights, consider switching to weight machines. These can be safer and help you avoid injuries when aging brings on a loss of muscle tone.
• Listen to your body. If you have muscle pain that lasts the better part of a week, or joint pain that lasts more than a day or two, that's a red flag. If it hurts, stop exercising and get it checked out.

Before starting a new exercise program, talk to your doctor. They can give you advice about what is and isn't safe. That's especially true if you're taking medications or have any chronic conditions such as lung disease or heart problems.