What it is and how you can improve it
By Alison Stanton
What do picking up a bag of groceries, getting in and out of the bathtub, and pulling the trash can to the curb all have in common?
They are all examples of having functional fitness—a term that Rhonda J. Zonoozi, BS, CHWC, EP-C, says is very important for seniors to embrace.
Rhonda, who is an exercise physiologist and health coach at the Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing, defines functional fitness as having the strength, energy, mobility and balance to do everyday activities safely.
“Functional fitness also affects self-care, and the ability to care for oneself independently,” she says.
In addition to helping people complete their daily living tasks, like vacuuming and dusting, putting their canned goods away and walking to the mailbox, being functionally fit can help seniors to stay independent later in life, Rhonda says.
“Having functional fitness can also improve quality of life, and it may help reduce the chances of falling.”
As for how functional fitness is measured, Rhonda says the Senior Fitness Test, which was developed by Dr. Roberta Rikli and Dr. Jessie Jones as part of the LifeSpan Wellness Program at Fullerton University, is considered by many to be the gold standard.
The simple and easy-to-use battery of tests assess the levels of functional fitness in older adults and is ideal for fitness and health care professionals, physical therapists and other people who work with seniors.
The tests include common activities like getting up from a chair, lifting and reaching, along with a walk test or step-in-place test.
“The Senior Fitness Test was specifically designed to measure lower body and upper body strength and flexibility, along with aerobic endurance and dynamic balance,” Rhonda says.
People who are having issues with their functional fitness levels will often realize they have trouble doing the activities they used to take for granted.
“They may find it harder to get in and out of the car or the bathtub,” Rhonda adds.
For people who feel their functional fitness is not where it should be, Rhonda offers plenty of encouragement.
“It is never too late to start making changes to one’s level of functional fitness. I’ve seen people in their 80s and 90s make improvements,” she says.
