You are never too old to exercise! A reader who described herself as “elderly” asked me if she was too old to exercise. Without knowing her age, I replied that she was not. I did qualify my response with the fact that exercise must be adjusted to meet the individual needs of a person based on age, health status and goals. Her question, however, led me to think of the many “elderly” who may be apprehensive to begin an exercise program for a variety of reasons. Fear of injury and lack of information may be two reasons. Another reason, according to this inquiry, is the fact that so many exercise programs in the media are geared to the young and healthy or baby boomers and few are focused on the needs of those over 75, home bound and weakened by age and inactivity. Those running, skiing, golfing at 75 and over and do not fall into this category, please do not be offended, you are the exception. God bless you!
Why would someone 75 or 80 be interested in an exercise program? Well, one must maintain adequate flexibility, strength, balance and endurance to safely function in daily activities around the house. For example, the most common goals of elderly patients are: climbing stairs, getting in and out of a shower, putting on shoes and socks, tucking in a shirt or fastening a bra, cooking, cleaning, and carrying groceries or laundry.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) recommends four areas of concentration for elderly persons to concentrate on in order to maintain safety and independence: strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. It will be the purpose of this column to recommend safe, practical and easy exercises that focus on each of these categories.
Remember, for most people it is more harmful not to exercise, so contact your physician to discuss whether independent exercise is appropriate for you. You may need to consult with a physical therapist to get started.
Strength Exercises involve using the muscles to move the arms and legs against resistance such as a weighted object, dumbbells, resistance bands, and body weight against gravity. Strength is necessary to perform daily activities such as walking, lifting a ½ gallon of milk, transferring to a shower or chair safely.
These exercises are performed while sitting in a chair with backrest, slowly, 5 -10 repetitions, and 3-5 times per week. No weight is used in the beginning, only the weight of the arm against gravity. In 1-2 weeks a light 1-2 pound weight and light resistance band may be added.
To Be Performed While Sitting In A Chair With Backrest:
Shoulder Shrug – shrug top of shoulders up toward the ears
Row the Boat – pull both arms back at a 45 degree angle with bent elbows as if “rowing a boat"
Saw Wood – pull both arms back with arms at side with bent elbows as if “sawing wood"
Elbow Bend/Extend – bend and straighten elbows
Wrist Curl – bend wrist up and down
Grip – squeeze ball
To Be Performed While Sitting In A Chair With Backrest:
Hip Hike – lift hip up 2-4 inches as if “marching”
Hip Spread – with heels on the floor, spread knees apart
Hip Squeeze – with heels on the floor, squeeze knees together
Leg Kicks – extend knee as if kicking the foot forward and up
Heel Raise – raise heel up with toe on floor
Toe Raise – raise toes up with heel on floor
Performed Standing While Holding On To Counter Top:
Standing Leg Curl – facing and holding onto the countertop, bend the knee by bringing the foot back
Once you have mastered these exercises against gravity, then advance to using light weights or light resistance bands. Ankle weights are very inexpensive and can be purchased in 1 pound increments. Light resistance bands are available in yellow and red in colors.
Visit your doctor regularly and listen to your body.
Keep moving, eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, and live long and well!
