• Taking care of our musculoskeletal health can help us stay strong and active as we age.
• Dr. Vonda Wright describes the period from ages 35 to 45 as “the critical decade” for developing healthy habits.
• Muscle mass decreases as we age, so opening a store when we’re younger can help keep us mobile.

A doctor who specializes in active aging has shared three things she does to stay healthy and mobile as she ages.

Dr. Vonda Wright, a double board-certified orthopedic surgeon in Florida whose role includes helping Olympic athletes avoid injury, told Business Insider that maintaining strong muscles and strong bones is essential to living a long, healthy life. healthy.

Research suggests that 50% of people who break a hip never fully regain mobility, and 30% of people over 65 die within a year, Wright said.

This is why Wright considers healthy musculoskeletal aging “a lifelong quest.” Development healthy habits Between ages 35 and 45, what she calls “the critical decade,” can help you maintain mobility and strength as you age, she said.

“It’s critical that we start paying attention to it now,” added Wright, the author of “Fitness After 40.”

Wright shared three tips she follows to help her stay active well into her golden years.

Learn to lift weights

Wright recommends weight training to develop maximum muscle as possible, particularly during the critical decade.

As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass, which is essential for everyday movements like getting up from a chair. The process begins in our 30s and 40s and accelerates between the ages of 65 and 80.

“Let’s build as much muscle as possible, because by doing so we will live longer, be stronger and build better bones,” she said. “If we need to, let’s hire someone. Let’s save some money and learn how to lift things.”

A growing body of research has linked lift weights to live longer. In a 2022 study published in the journal JAMA, researchers examined National Health Survey data that detailed the amount and type of exercise that more than 115,000 people over the age of 65 engaged in for approximately eight years.

They found that those who said they did weight training at least twice a week were less likely to die from any cause than those who said they did less.

Eat a diet rich in protein and vitamin D

HAS build muscleYou also need to make sure you’re eating enough protein, Wright said.

Mike Molloynutrition coach to elite athletes, previously told BI that he advises people to eat about 0.75 grams of protein per pound, or 1.6 grams per kilogram of total body mass.

Protein is a major component of bones, so it is also important for building strong bones.

Vitamin D, which helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, is essential for maintaining bone density, she said, so getting enough of it is vital. Most people get enough vitamin D from the sun, but those who live in colder climates probably don’t get enough in winter and fall.

Vitamin D is found in a small number of foods, such as fatty fish, red meat and egg yolks.

Take exercise microbreaks from your desk

Many of us spend our entire careers sitting at a desk for several hours a day, leading to muscle loss and an “incredibly weak” musculoskeletal system, Wright said. “It’s one of the hallmarks of aging,” she said.

It is also linked to early death. A 2024 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association which collected data from nearly 6,000 mobile women aged 63 to 99, found that those who sat for 11.6 hours or more per day were 57% more likely to die, whatever the cause.

To combat this, Wright recommends take short breaks regularly throughout the day to do physical activity.

“Doing 10 wall squats, 10 chair squats, or 10 prisoner squats is truly amazing for maintaining musculoskeletal health,” she said.

She recommended setting a reminder every 45 minutes.