By Jane Elliott
BBC News health reporter |
  The friends are hoping to publish a book of their exercise routine |
Instead of leaving them invigorated and fitter exercise classes left 65-year-old friends Pauline Eborall and Patricia Furber feeling despondent, out of place and too old. Both had health problems and needed to get into shape - Pauline had osteoarthritis of the hip, aching joints and had previously had heart valve problems. Pat had a family history of osteoporosis. The only exercise classes and gyms they could find catered solely for the younger end of the market. The routines were too tiring, and Pauline said they were left feeling like the "oldest swingers in town". Internet She said: "We had joined classes and we had gym programmes written for us, but after the sessions we were just totally knackered." In desperation they turned to the internet. Trawling through a variety of exercise sites, they came across body-building exercise routines and decided to modify these weight-lifting exercises to suit their ages and stamina.  |  Anyone can do these exercises |
"We thought we would have a look at those because they were aimed at building up the body so we did them, but at a very low level. "It was easy-peasy and we gradually increased them. We found that we built up muscle and we think that we have also built up bone strength." After warming up on a treadmill the women did low-level hand weights, exercising the upper and lower back, chest, shoulders and legs, increasing the weights as their stamina increased. Now they go to the gym three times a week, and feel their fitness levels have increased considerably. Pauline, from Hungerford, Berkshire, says she not only feels in better condition, but doctors have told her she no longer needs a hip replacement.  Weights could help fight arthritis |
And both women say their exercise routine, which they hope to release as a book soon, is provoking a lot of interest among the older would-be exercisers. Interest was stimulated by an appearance on the BBC Radio Four programme Woman's Hour. Pauline said: "There were hundreds of telephone calls asking 'Where can we get your exercises?'. "Anyone can do these exercises. We had one friend who has done all of them and she is 79. "Having found that weight-lifting works so well for us, we want to make sure other people gain the same benefit and feel fitter and healthier, as Pat and I do." Muscle Andrew Wallace, orthopaedic consultant at St Mary's Hospital Paddington, said exercises routines like this were thought to have some benefits. "If you exercise more, and use your muscles more, the bones will become stronger." And he said this could particularly be the case for women with osteoarthritis like Pauline. The exercise routine could soon be backed up by more scientific evidence. The Arthritis Research Campaign (ARC) is funding a clinical trial at the University of Wales in Bangor to look at whether weight-lifting increases muscle mass in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Trial organiser Kathryn Chester, a sports scientist, said: "Weight-lifting is not for everyone and for some people, exercise at home will be just as beneficial. "But an early pilot study we ran a couple of years ago made us very confident that those people who do resistance training will regain lost muscle. If it's proven to work, it could be offered to other RA patients around the country." An ARC spokeswoman said it was important for people with arthritis to keep as fit as possible. "Pat and Pauline are a shining example of how exercise can make a huge difference, and make you feel better. "The important thing is to find a form of exercise that you enjoy - and then stick to it."
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