“Since I posted the question about my exercising heart rate, I have dropped the eggs and have lost about seven lbs and now weigh 208 The charts say I should be in the middle 190’s at most and so I am heading in that direction. My time on the bicycle is between 2 and 3 hrs per ride, 5 times a week on average. I am not sure if there is a point where too much exercise is too much–that is for optimal health? Any ideas for me? At 68 I don’t want to wear my body out before time. I am looking for optimal health.”

When discussing how much exercise is enough, I usually ask my students what their goals are. Some want to lose weight, slim down and that is it. Others want to be stronger and improve their daily function, from getting out of a chair to putting away the dishwasher.

Endurance type exercise like riding a bike for prolonged periods is suitable for those that want to improve their heart and lung function as well as those that want to loose weight.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that older healthy adults exercise 3 to 5 days per week, for 20 to 60 minutes a day, at an intensity of 60% to 90% of their heart rate maximum. So for a 68 year old man, keeping your heart rate between 91 beats per minute and 137 beats per minute.

When do we know that we are exercising too much? Well, generally we need to monitor for what we call “overuse injuries”. As an older athlete we are less flexible, have arthritic changes in our joints, especially those that bear weight, and have less muscle mass than our younger counterparts.

Watch for delayed onset muscle soreness. There is a certain amount of soreness associated with exercise, but sometimes this soreness does not appear until 24 to 48 hours after exercise has ended. Take a day off, use ice and or some anti-inflammatory medication to help this condition.

Also watch for joint pain and swelling. If the pain passes quickly it can be managed with ice, aspirin and elevation. If it lingers, a more thorough examination may be needed.

Look for pain with certain movements. This may indicate a tendonitis, or overuse injury like tennis elbow, bursitis, etc.

Remember that older adults heal more slowly and rehab can take longer than younger adults.