Senior workout routines minimize pain and keep joints healthy.
Did you know that for each pound of weight we lose, we decrease four pounds of pressure from our knees, and as many as six pounds from our hips? This is great incentive for everybody to remain active, regardless of age! Especially for the elderly, however, who happen to be vulnerable to joint pain from arthritis along with other conditions of aging, incorporating a senior workout routine as a daily habit will make a huge difference in minimizing pain.
With the approval of the senior’s physician, Live Free Home Health Care recommends the following types of exercises to assist seniors maintain healthy joints:
- Get started with a warm-up. Just before exercising, the individual should always begin with gentle bending and stretching moves, like reaching up overhead, bending down and touching the toes (or as close as possible without causing pain), side bends, and moving the arms in slow, wide circles.
- Swim a lap or two. Swimming is a wonderful low-impact cardio workout, and just being in the water is tremendously relaxing for both your mind and the body as well. Look for a senior swim class, or simply go along with your loved one in swimming a few laps at his / her own pace.
- Get in some weight training. Resistance training can be accomplished at any time and any place and at just about any fitness level. Resistance bands, hand weights or even bottles of water are perfect for building upper body strength. The older adult should start light and slowly and gradually progress up to an increased difficulty level – again, with guidance from the doctor.
- Take a hike. There is nothing quite as invigorating and rejuvenating as taking a walk outdoors, when weather permits. Walking through the neighborhood supplies the added benefit of socializing with neighbors along the way; or locate a wooded trail to savor the quiet beauty of nature.
- Try something new. Seek advice from your local senior center or gym to find a class your loved one might want to try, such as yoga or tai chi. Sign up for the class together and get the extra advantage of establishing some fun new memories with the senior!
As providers of senior live in care Plymouth and the surrounding areas depend on, it is our goal to help older adults enjoy life to the fullest, and also to stay as active and engaged as possible – boosting both physical and emotional wellbeing. At Live Free Home Health Care we are always available to supply senior transportation and accompaniment to workout sessions or just about any other activities of interest. Call us at 603-217-0149 or reach out via our online contact form to make the first step in helping your senior loved one achieve a healthier and happier quality of life!