As Dave, 68, was passing through downtown on his daily run, a woman stepped out of a shop and waited to let him pass. “What are you running from?” she asked.

Not sure how serious she was, Dave shouted back over his shoulder: “Old age!” Continuing down the street, he thought of many answers he could have given: high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, stroke.

Dave has been taking diuretic medication for several years to treat hypertension, a major risk factor for both heart attack and stroke. He and his doctor know his running is probably the best thing he can do to keep his blood pressure under control.

A 1993 study found subjects who engaged in regular vigorous exercise from ages 15 to 55 had an 80 percent lower risk of stroke than those who did not exercise. Even those who had started walking recently had a 68 percent lower risk.

More recently, a Danish study concluded subjects who exercised most before their stroke were two and a half times more likely to have a milder stroke and more complete recovery compared to those who exercised the least.

“For the people in this study,” the author wrote, “exercise included light housework, taking a walk outside, lawn care, gardening or participating in a sport.”

Among risk factors for stroke, high blood pressure usually is ranked at or near the top.

Diabetes is another major risk factor for stroke; and exercise has been shown to reduce blood sugar and increase insulin resistance. Exercise also helps control weight and has a beneficial effect on cholesterol, two other stroke risk factors.

For lowering blood pressure, the ideal activity is aerobic – using large muscle groups in the legs and torso for sustained activity over 30 to 45 minutes most days of the week. The intensity level should be high enough to raise your heart rate and cause you to breathe a little harder.

Strength training of moderate intensity also is beneficial, lowering both systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 2 to 4 percent.

Exercise works by strengthening the heart, allowing it to pump more blood with less effort. Because blood is continually being forced through arteries, exercise also improves the function of blood vessels, making them stronger and more pliant.

All of these exercise benefits take about one to three months to acquire and a lifetime to maintain. Stop exercising and the benefits fade quickly.

If you’re over 50 (40 for a male) or have a medical condition such as heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes or obesity, check with your doctor before jumping into a new, more vigorous activity. To avoid injury, start slowly and build up gradually with careful attention to warming up, cooling down and stretching.

After a stroke occurs, the greatest danger is recurrence, and nearly one-third of stroke survivors have at least one more stroke. Recent studies have confirmed the stroke survivor also has much to gain from regular exercise.

In one study, 42 stroke survivors with partial paralysis showed dramatic improvement in cardiovascular fitness after a 10-week program of vigorous aerobic training – an effect similar to that expected from healthy older adults.

In the past, it was believed most, if not all, recovery of motor function occurred within the first few months after a stroke. As a result, physical rehabilitation programs usually ended at this time.

Recently, however, aggressive rehabilitation programs have been used effectively well beyond that time period. The treadmill is ideal for such programs because, if necessary, the patient can use hand rails or harness devices for partial or full support.

One study found 37 stroke patients with long-term mobility impairments showed changes in subcortical areas of the brain as a result of a six-month treadmill exercise rehabilitation plan. Their walking speed increased by 51 percent, their cardiovascular fitness, by 18 percent.

Heart attack, stroke and sudden death can occur during exercise. That’s why patients are tested and supervised during rehabilitation when the physician feels such monitoring is necessary.

Exercise, however, is a normal human activity. It’s sitting on the couch that’s dangerous to your health.



Rupp is information and assistance case manager with the Northern Oklahoma Development Authority Area Agency on Aging.