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Archibald "Archie" Young (19 September 1946 – 17 March 2020) was a Scottish geriatrician who was a professor of geriatric medicine at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, University College London from 1988 to 1998.[1][2]
Born in Maryhill, Glasgow, he was the eldest child of Archibald Young, a doctor, and Mamie (née Fleming), a nurse.[3] He received his education at Glasgow High School and excelled in swimming from a young age, later becoming the Scottish amateur breaststroke champion and a member of the Scottish national swimming and water polo teams.[3]
Young studied physiology and medicine at Glasgow University, qualifying in 1971.[1][3]
Young's medical career began with house officer position, leading him to Oxford in 1973 where he specialized in rheumatology and rehabilitation.[3] His interest in geriatrics grew during this period, influenced by his correspondence with Jerry Morris, a leading researcher in social medicine.[3]
In the early 1980s, Archie Young worked as a doctor in a rehabilitation unit in Oxford, where he introduced ultrasound imaging to physiotherapy.[3] By 1985, he had advanced to the roles of consultant, professor, and head of geriatric medicine at the Royal Free Hospital in London.[3] During his tenure there, he was instrumental in establishing Queen Mary's, a rehabilitation facility for the elderly.[3] Young's research in Oxford and London involved experiments with elderly volunteers, focusing on the measurement of quadriceps strength and the impact of resistance exercises.[3]
His notable 1986 publication, Exercise Physiology in Geriatric Practice, presented findings that elderly individuals could increase strength, reduce frailty, and delay the onset of dependence.[3] He described this delay as "the functional threshold," positing that regular exercise could enhance strength and aerobic capacity by 10 to 20%, thereby postponing declines in functional abilities by 10 to 20 years.[3]
Later, he became an advocate for the benefits of exercise for the elderly, contributing to the field through both research and lectures.[3]
Young was also active as a sportsperson, participated in rugby union, triathlons, and mountaineering.[3] He retired in 2007.[3]
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