Losing balance is one of the terrible things that any older person can face. The fact that we don’t perform well simple physical tasks like walking is just terrifying. That’s why we bring these valuable balance exercises for older people that they can do at the gym, community center, or at home.
Stability & Mobility
Something fundamental that we must learn is how to improve balance during our golden years.
It’s a combination of things. First, as we grow old, our body get stiffened and the bone mass is reduced. Also, the lack of physical activity contributes to resistance and stability loss.
Someday we all get to that stage, or we are already in it. Either way, we must be prepared. Old age makes us lose certain skills such as stability, mobility, and flexibility.
For many older people, stability is a big problem. This is because if you are not stable and cannot balance well, you are more likely to fall. For older people, falling is dangerous because, with weaker bones and joints, serious injuries are likely to occur. Fortunately, there are several things older people can do to improve stability.
Now we will give you some recommendations so that you can improve your stability.
5 Ways to Improve Balance in Older Adults
Now, we will detail how to improve balance in older adults. We will explain what exercises you should do and we will give you valuable tips on how to reach good mobility.
Balance exercises
At most, the best way to improve your stability not only for old adults but also at any age is to perform balance exercises regularly. There are quite a few balance exercises to choose from that will help you strengthen the correct muscles so that you can walk with more confidence and stability.
Some balance exercises will require you to use various exercise equipment, such as dumbbells and balance balls, but others need nothing more than your body. This will make you feel very comfortable because it will be easy for you to do balance exercises no matter where you are.
Stretching
This is another type of exercise you can do to improve stability in your senior years. Stretching exercises help increase the range of motion of the joints, which can ease arthritis pain. In turn, this can stabilize your joints and improve your overall stability. Like balance exercises, there are many things you can do that do not require any equipment.
Exercise
Those people who do not use their skills may lose them over time. That’s true when it comes to your activity level. If you want to maintain and improve your stability, you must stay active and continue to use your entire body. In addition to improving stability, it will also help you in more ways.
Staying active as a senior can help you avoid common conditions that the elderly often face such as osteoporosis, arthritis, and heart disease. Also, if you are overweight, getting more physical activity will help you lose weight, which will improve your overall health.
Wear appropriate shoes
You will be amazed at what a good pair of shoes can do for your stability. In fact, the right pair of shoes could make the crucial difference between walking with ease and risking falling just by taking a trip from the couch to the refrigerator.
Good shoes provide stability because they give you a flat surface to walk on and a lot of cushioning, so you have room for error when placing your foot on the ground. They will also make walking significantly more comfortable, reducing foot, knee, hip, and even back pain associated with poor foot support.
Walking aids
Ask your doctor if a walking aid is appropriate to help you improve your stability. He or she will be able to prescribe the appropriate level of assistance when it comes to those aids. For some people, these walking aids are only for temporary use. The purpose is to improve your stability by allowing you to be more active as you strengthen your muscles so that you can walk unaided again.
Exercise for Improving Balance in Older People
When it comes to stretching, there are countless you can do, all of which can help you become more flexible, increase mobility, and reduce muscle and joint pain. But with so many to choose from, it can be difficult to know which ones to choose.
Of course, if you have a certain part of your body that you want to focus on, you can do various stretches for that part of the body. However, if you are looking for stretches that will help your entire body, there are a few others you will need to do.
The reduced normal loss of bone loss helps us walk better, and have more stability and endurance.
There are a variety of exercises to improve our balance. those exercises can be focused on either a fitness or stretching program. As for this reading, we’re going to focus on stretching.
Here are 3 stretches that you can do in the comfort of your home:
Side bend
This stretch will stretch your abdominal, back, and side muscles, as well as your hips.
Begin the stretch from a standing position with your feet in line with your shoulders. Extend your hands above your head and bring your palms together as high as you can. Take a deep breath and stretch your spine as straight and high as possible.
As you exhale, bend your body to the right so that you can feel the stretch through your arm and down your left side. Make sure you maintain good shape by keeping your arms and upper body in the same position.
Hold the pose for 60 seconds, holding deep breaths the entire time. Then return to the upright position as you exhale and do the same to the left. Although not as effective, this stretch can also be performed from a chair.
Chest opener
This stretch targets the muscles of the chest, triceps, and shoulders. Start from a standing or sitting position. Next, place your arms behind your head, clasping your hands at the back of your head. While inhaling deeply, lift your chest while pulling your elbows back and keep your hands anchored behind your head.
Relax your position slightly as you exhale, then continue to stretch your chest and arm muscles further with each subsequent breath. You should hold this pose for 10 slow breaths or 60 seconds.
Quad stretch
Use this stretch to improve your knee range of motion and stretch your quads.
While standing, lift your right foot and grab it with your right hand by the ankle. Gently pull your heel toward your glute until you can feel the stretch in the front of your leg. Keep your knees so close together while holding the pose for 60 seconds. Once you finish on one side, you can do the same with your left leg.
This pose can only be done while standing. If you are concerned about keeping your balance during this stretch, you can hold onto a sturdy piece of furniture or use a wall to stabilize yourself while doing this essential stretch.
By doing these 3 essential stretches every day, you will quickly see improvements in these parts of the body in terms of flexibility and mobility.
How to improve mobility in older adults
In old age, mobility is one of the things that can help you live longer and feel better. However, it is also something that naturally decreases because as you get older you start to lose muscle mass and you may not be as active as you used to be. However, by following these tips, you can have better mobility and be able to continue with a good quality of life no matter how old you are.
Tips to improve mobility for older adults:
These are more than tips. They are recommendations that older adults should follow in order to safely recover good levels of mobility and balance.
1. Check with your doctor
The first thing you want to do to improve your mobility is to talk to your doctor about your concerns. He or she can help you create a personalized plan that you can use to get moving better so that you can get out there and really enjoy your golden years. Supplements, exercise regimens, or a walking aid may be prescribed to help with mobility.
2. Use a walking aid
Although you may not like it, if you are one of the many older people who struggle with your balance, then you need to use a walking aid such as a cane, walker, or crutches. Using the right instrument will allow you to get the right amount of assistance. So talk to your doctor to find out if you need either a cane to stand upright or a walker to make sure you can move around safely.
3. Do balance exercises
Speaking of balance issues, there are a number of things you can do to improve your balance no matter how old you are. Not only will this help you with your mobility so that you can walk more confidently, it will also help you with a number of other tasks that can be dangerous if your balance is affected such as sitting in and out of chairs and lifting things from the floor.
4. Do strength exercises
Two of the main reasons older people struggle with mobility is because of weakened bones and loss of muscle mass. Both problems can be solved with strength training. There are many easy strength training exercises that older people can do that will actually help to regenerate bones and muscle mass to help with mobility.
5. Be more active
The more you get up and move, the more mobile you will become. There are many ways for seniors to get active, whether it’s to join a fitness group in a community or senior center, work out at home, or even just start a new hobby. Regardless of what you decide to do, staying active will help you maintain and improve mobility.
As you can see, it is not that difficult to improve your mobility and the sooner you start, the sooner you can begin to reap the benefits of stronger muscles and bones. You will also feel better and be able to play with your grandchildren.
David is a writer and graduate professor. He writes for different websites. With 7+ years of experience in writing and education, David has combined his expertise in teaching with his passion for physical and mental wellness. He researches and writes to bring you valuable information about weight loss, nutrition, fitness, community, society and more.
