5 active aging routines an orthopedic surgeon shares to stay strong as she ages

Dr. Vonda Wright, an orthopedic surgeon and active aging expert, shares practical tips for staying strong and active as we age.

With experience helping Olympians prevent injuries, she highlights the importance of maintaining strong muscles and bones for a healthy life.

Dr. Wright warns about the risks of hip fractures, citing statistics that show half of those affected never fully recover, and 30% of people over 65 die within a year.

She stresses the need for proactive steps to promote healthy aging, emphasizing that maintaining musculoskeletal health is lifelong.

She highlights the critical period between ages 35 and 45 for developing habits that can help preserve strength and mobility as we age.

“It’s critical that we start paying attention now,” Wright, the author of “Fitness After 40,” told Business Insider.

As part of her active aging routine, Dr. Wright shared three critical tips she uses to stay active and maintain her strength as she gets older.

1. Consume a high-protein diet with lots of vitamin D.

Dr. Wright highlights the need for adequate protein to build muscle, with nutrition coach Mike Molloy recommending 0.75 grams of protein per pound, or 1.6 grams per kilogram, of body weight.

Protein is essential for muscle growth and is crucial in strengthening bones.

Dr. Wright also emphasizes the importance of vitamin D for regulating calcium and phosphate in the body, which is essential for bone density.

While sunlight provides most people with enough vitamin D, those in colder climates may lack it during the fall and winter.

It can also be found in oily fish, red meat, and egg yolks.

2. Lift weights.

The active aging expert suggests strength training to build muscle, especially during the critical decade.

Muscle mass naturally decreases as we age, making simple tasks like standing up from a chair harder. This muscle loss begins in our 30s and 40s and increases between 65 and 80.

“Let’s build as much muscle as we can because from that, we will then live longer and be stronger and build better bones,” she said.

She also suggests hiring a trainer, saving on costs, and learning the proper lifting techniques.

Recent studies emphasize the life-extending benefits of weightlifting. A 2022 study published in JAMA analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey, tracking the exercise habits of over 115,000 people aged 65 and older for eight years.

The findings showed that those who did strength training at least twice a week had a significantly lower risk of dying from any cause compared to those who exercised less.

3. Take quick breaks to exercise while working.

Dr. Wright warns that sitting for long hours each day, common in many desk jobs, leads to muscle loss and weakens the body’s musculoskeletal system, a sign of aging.

This sedentary behavior isn’t just about looks—it’s a severe health risk. A 2024 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that women aged 63 to 99 who sat for 11.6 hours or more daily had a 57% higher risk of premature death from any cause.

Dr. Wright advises taking short, regular breaks throughout the day to counter the effects of long periods of sitting.

She recommends exercises like wall squats, chair squats, and prisoner squats, performing 10 repetitions to support musculoskeletal health.

To help stick to this routine, she suggests setting a reminder every 45 minutes to prompt these brief activity bursts.

Dr. Vonda Wright, a top orthopedic surgeon and expert in active aging, is dedicated to helping people take control of their health.

She believes that by focusing on mobility, good nutrition, and strong social connections, individuals can influence up to 70% of their health and aging outcomes.

With a career in sports medicine, Dr. Wright has made significant contributions to understanding musculoskeletal aging.

She is widely recognized for her expertise and is a sought-after speaker, bestselling author, and frequent media contributor.

Here’s Dr. Wright talking about the keys to active aging: