“Getting old isn’t for sissies.” This bit of wisdom has been told to me more than once by clients following joint replacement surgery and many of them prove the statement to be true. Dealing with the movement impairments related to aging takes its toll, physicaly and mentally. As we get older there are certain things we know to expect- the occasional strain or pain, creaking, cracking, or stiffness. All joints start to wear out at some point and we know that as we get older we lose muscular strength. There comes a point where a little stiffness here and there or strain in an area can lead to lasting changes that can really impair movement, mobility, and a person’s quality of life. Last week I brought up common mobility problems some people face as a result of aging. I believe staying active in the right ways to keep key areas strong, limber, and balanced will help to prevent mobility issues later on in life or prolong its onset. I’ll share a few tips and exercises to address the following areas that can contribute to these mobility problems:
- Weak Back Muscles
- Tight Hips
- Loss of Balance
- Low endurance
- Weak Legs
- Stiff Shoulders
- Weak Hips
Most of the exercises below are yoga moves. I incorporate yoga poses into many of my treatments. Overall, it is one of the most multitasking activities out there, improving flexibility, strength, core stability, balance, coordination, and stress levels. I highly recommend you make yoga a part of your workouts to improve health long term.
Chair Pose/ Squats
Triangle Pose: This is great for not only hip flexibility, but also balance, especially when looking up. Only reach down the leg as far as you can comfortably and without losing your balance.
Child’s Pose: Do this one with your arms extended straight out in front to stretch your arms
Clamshells: You can do this one without the band to start and work your way up to using resistance as you get stronger.
Rowing: The person in this video gives some good variations on rowing, an exercise to strengthen the upper back muscles, by changing his standing position to incorporate balance. Though, I would go much more slowly and controlled with the movements.
Bridging: This previous post gives you lots of variations on the bridge exercise. This exercise will strengthen the glutes and stretch the hip flexors, which can become stiffer as we get older.
To improve endurance, be sure to incorporate aerobic activities into your workouts. In other words, exercise that will challenge the heart and increase your breathing. Swimming and cycling are good activities to work on your endurance and they have lower impact on your joints. Shoot for 15-30 minutes at least at a time and be sure you feel like you are working hard, though not so hard that you can’t talk while doing it.
When you are designing your anti-aging exercise program it is important to do them regularly, 3 times a week minimum. Yoga and strength exercises should be done in 3 sets of reps of 8-15 with a good 5-10 second hold for the yoga poses. It’s also important to make sure that your exercises are a real challenge, because challenging yourself is what will ultimately bring about the changes your body needs. Don’t just be active, be active in the right ways with the right exercises to avoid mobility problems like inability get out of a chair or step up and down curbs. If you need more tips on exercises, find a good personal trainer that is in tune with exercising for prevention. Or you could ask your physical therapist for a good recommendation.
Thanks to ClevelandSGS on Flickr for the picture.
MoniqueSerpasPT
My name is Monique Serpas, PT, DPT, OCS. I am a physical therapist and board-certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist practicing at the Southeast Louisiana Healthcare System in New Orleans, LA. I realize how difficult it can be to overcome an injury or manage a chronic condition and am focused on helping my clients achieve wellness through a physically active lifestyle. I treat orthopaedic, balance, and vestibular disorders and practice using a combination of hands-on manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and education. This enables my patients to assist in their own recovery and injury prevention. I also have developed fall prevention and golf-related rehab programs in the past. I hold a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Concordia University Wisconsin (2008) and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Louisiana State University (2004). I am a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), Louisiana Physical Therapy Association (LPTA), and the Orthopaedic and Neurology sections of the APTA.
If you want to connect beyond the blog, m...@geaux2pt.com or click on the following social network icons:
July 9, 2010
General Information, Geriatric, Prevention