2023-04-22 05:00:45
One month away from completing 94 years of life, Rosaly Jacobina Ramalho de Morais is proud to talk about the medals she won in the last 30 years in swimming competitions – and she keeps them on three boards in her living room to serve as inspiration for the rest of the family .
The passion for the sport was born three decades ago, when she was 63 years old. It wasn’t out of vanity or because she liked swimming, but on medical advice, to ease the discomfort of a lumbar parrot’s beak that made her cry in pain.
“I was 63 years old, I was crooked, complaining, thinking I was an old woman. The orthopedist told me to do exercises and I couldn’t. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry,” she recalls. At the appointment, Rosaly’s doctor performed maneuvers that relieved her pain and recommended swimming lessons.
“He said that I would leave the office a little better, but if the column got stuck, only God in Heaven. I didn’t know how to swim, but he said I would learn because age means nothing, ”he says.
parrot beak
The parrot’s beak got its name due to the image that appears on the spine X-ray. The condition is characterized by calcifications in the region called osteophytosis or bone spurs, and occurs as part of the body’s natural aging process.
“The cause of the pain is not always the parrot’s beak, but if these calcifications increase too much, to the point of pressing the nerves, they can cause tingling, a lot of pain and other symptoms”, explains orthopedist and traumatologist Fernando Borges Filho, from Hospital Brasília .
Rosaly Jacobina, 93 years old, swims three times a weekBethânia Nunes/ Metropolises
Rosaly 02She enters the pool with the help of an electric chairBethânia Nunes/ Metropolises
Rosaly 18Rosaly and daughter MonicaBethânia Nunes/ Metropolises
Rosaly 16The athlete’s medals are displayed in frames Rosaly Jacobina/ Image courtesy of Metrópoles
Rosaly 15And on a special hangerRosaly Jacobina/ Image courtesy of Metrópoles
Rosaly 14Rosaly competed at the 2011 Pan American Games in the master categoryRosaly Jacobina/ Image courtesy of Metrópoles
Rosaly 13She proudly shows off her medals Rosaly Jacobina/ Image courtesy of Metrópoles
Rosaly 10Rosaly Jacobina/ Image courtesy of Metrópoles
Rosaly 12Rosaly at the start of another raceRosaly Jacobina/ Image courtesy of Metrópoles
Rosaly 11Rosaly Jacobina/ Image courtesy of Metrópoles
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pain relief
According to the doctor, as it is a natural process of the body there is no cure, but performing physical activities is the best alternative for relieving symptoms and recovering quality of life. “The best treatment is physical activity, and that’s where swimming comes in. As it is a physical exercise that works the entire body musculature globally and with little impact, most people can do it without restrictions”, says orthopedist Fernando Borges.
For Rosaly, the results of swimming began to appear after four months in the pool, when she noticed that her back was no longer burning, it was an incentive for her to continue. Years later, she was invited by her teacher to participate in the first competition in an Olympic swimming pool and, since then, she hasn’t stopped.
“I was already in good health, but I wanted to keep swimming. The teacher signed me up for a 100 meter crawl competition and I came in second. I got even more taste,” she recalls. Thirty years later, medals obtained in competitions are displayed with pride. “I show it to everyone”, says Dona Rosaly.
Currently, she swims three times a week and completes her training with strength training on the same days at the gym in the building where she lives. The body strengthening work is guided by a personal trainer. “Look at my 93-year-old legs,” she jokes, pointing to herself. Health care also includes acupuncture sessions.
Massa muscular
It is already a consensus in science that muscle mass is essential for health and that results appear regardless of age.
Physical educator Nelson Gomes, from the D’Stak gym, says that there is no age limit to start exercising. “There is will. Swimming can be learned, anyone can learn it, just find your rhythm”, argues Gomes.
Exercises help people age with more disposition, mobility and autonomy to perform simple day-to-day activities, such as bending down and getting up without pain. They are also important to prevent falls. Socializing with other people also offers mental health benefits.
“Physical activity maintains muscle strength and gives more confidence to the elderly. At a certain age, sport involves even more the mental part, as it keeps people feeling good, without pain and in a good mood”, says the physical educator.
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