Around 35% of seniors between 70 and 85 years old have mobility limitations. This functional impairment results from decreased muscle mass and strength, joint stiffening, and pain from age-related conditions like arthritis. Inactivity can accelerate the decline in muscle strength, exacerbate joint stiffness, and elevate the risk for chronic conditions like diabetes. The Sworkit exercise app suggests easy ways to enhance your mobility as you age. Here are some tips.
1. Home-Based Physical Therapy
Engaging in physical activity can, at times, be unbearable. Mostly, this problem manifests when you are recovering from an injury, experiencing chronic pain, or having a severe decline in energy levels. The mentioned conditions make physical activity more uncomfortable.
Nonetheless, when faced with such challenges, home-based physical therapy may help you overcome the barriers. Physical therapists will design tailored exercise programs that address your specific needs.
Moreover, the experts who offer physical therapy at home monitor your progress and adjust your workout regimen as needed. They ensure you get the benefits of exercising without exacerbating underlying health issues.
2. Engaging in Low Impact Exercises
Even with limited strength and flexibility, you can still work out when you get older. However, instead of HIIT exercises, you should focus on low-impact exercises — low-impact exercises are easy on the joints.
Despite being low-impact, these workouts will improve your cardiovascular health, flexibility, and strength. Some of the beneficial low-impact exercises to do at home include walking, stretching, and pilates.
3. Doing Manageable House Chores
Doing some house chores is another excellent way to boost your physical activity when you grow older. Like workouts, house chores entail a combination of body movements that improve mobility, muscle strength, and cardiovascular health.
For instance, mopping can increase your heart rate and engage muscles in your shoulders, arms, legs, and upper back. In addition, you can do gardening, a house chore that improves range of motion, and fine motor skills.
Other house chores that can enhance your mobility include raking leaves, carrying groceries, vacuuming, and dusting. When doing the mentioned house chores, take breaks and be mindful of any discomforts.
4. Light Yoga
Light yoga involves gentle stretches, which are great when dealing with reduced strength and joint pain. A little gentle, light yoga will help you improve functional fitness by eliminating age-related issues like stiffness and reduced range of motion.
Additionally, light yoga can offer additional perks like improved relaxation, reduced stress, and enhanced mental clarity. Regular yoga routines will give you a sense of peace alongside improving sleep, circulation, and mental clarity.
5. Chair Exercises
Sometimes, you don’t have to get up from your chair to enhance your flexibility and mobility. Perhaps you have difficulties standing for extended periods, recovering from an injury, or dealing with chronic pain.
Sworkit has numerous workouts you can perform right from the comfort of your seat. These workouts include seated marches, leg lifts, arm curls, and gentle stretches.
When done right, the chair workouts will help you improve various aspects of your health. In particular, these exercises will improve your circulation, enhance your joint flexibility, and strengthen muscles.
Enhance Mobility With the Sworkit Health App
Maintaining mobility and living an active, healthy lifestyle can be achieved with tools like Sworkit. Whether you are already active and looking to find new routines to follow, or have been inactive for a period of time and looking for guidance, Sworkit Health can help you with guided workouts and access to certified personal trainers ready to answer your questions.
The Sworkit Health app offers a wide range of customizable workout routines, including low-impact exercises, chair workouts, and flexibility training, customized for older adults. We use guided video instructions to help you perform each Sworkit workout with precision.
Start your Sworkit free trial to see how the exercise app fits into your wellness routine.
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