Physician testifies sports-medicine techniques can improve seniors' health, urges strength training and 'prehab'

Dr. Paul Legg, an orthopedic surgeon, told the Special Committee on Aging that lessons from sports medicine can improve health outcomes for older adults by keeping them active, preventing injuries and improving recovery.

Legg said “the health outcomes of seniors improve by keeping them healthy, active, and injury free as they age,” and urged more emphasis on prevention and structured exercise programs tailored to older adults.

Why it matters: Legg cited a 2022 report by National Health Statistics showing that only 13.9 percent of adults aged 65 or older meet federal activity guidelines, and said environmental factors and sedentary lifestyles help explain low activity rates. He described resistance training, walking and strength programs as evidence-backed tools to preserve function and reduce disability among older adults.

Legg, who said he has 27 years in private orthopedic practice and two years as a hospital-employed surgeon, outlined specific benefits of strength and resistance training: increased muscle mass, improved metabolic health and insulin sensitivity, greater bone density and a reduced risk of falls and fractures. He noted that resistance training is “consistently shown as feasible and effective” for healthy and frail older adults and for people with chronic disease.

During testimony Legg described how athletic training principles translate to senior care: setting protected time for exercise, establishing small achievable goals, and addressing barriers such as lack of awareness or motivation. He also described the role of advanced training techniques to move older adults from basic activity toward measurable fitness gains.

Former NFL quarterback and coach Matt Hasselbeck described practical balance and prevention exercises he uses and recommends. “You practice with your eyes open. You practice with your eyes closed,” Hasselbeck said, adding that athletes use “prehab” — training done as if preparing for an injury — to prevent common problems and build confidence during recovery.

Legg also noted the crossover between surgical techniques used to return athletes to play and procedures that can help older patients, but said surgery is only one component; the broader training, conditioning and fall-prevention practices from sports medicine are central to improving senior outcomes.

Legg identified his affiliations for the record and said his remarks reflected his own views, not those of his employer, which he named as Charleston Area Medical Center and Vandalia Health. He added that for more than 20 years he served as a team physician for the University of Charleston and its roughly 620 athletes. He closed by saying he looked forward to answering committee questions.

No formal votes or policy actions were recorded during this portion of the hearing.