No matter how much you try to stay fit, ageing effects will always catch-up with you. However, that must not stop you from exercising. The 70-year-old woman can do geriatric physical therapy exercises to prevent herself from getting injured. These exercises are good for keeping your body balanced and flexible. If you are wondering what exercises can a 70-year-old do, keep on reading to get a list of a variety of exercises.
Physical Therapy Exercises For The Elderly At Home
Older people are prone to many health issues due to ageing effects. They are susceptible to chronic diseases. In addition, their bodies are weak. For instance, their muscles are weak and their bone density gets depreciating due to ageing. As such, they need to do geriatric physical therapy exercises to fight the ageing effects. They might not be able to keep the muscles stronger like before, but they can keep their bodies active to avoid various issues.
Seniors might not be motivated to visit the gym to exercise, however, there are various exercises that they can do at the comfort of their homes. Exercising at home can be interesting for seniors. For example, seniors can do some of the exercises seated. That’s the beauty of training at home. In addition, they can do various exercises to improve flexibility, balance, strength and more. Below are some of the geriatric physical therapy exercises.
Strength Exercises
Seniors can do various types of strength exercises to improve muscle mass. Of course, ageing affects muscle mass by decreasing it. However, they can improve or grow muscle mass eve et 75. It might not be too significant but it’s better to improve it than not. In addition, strength exercises can improve physical performance. This is because the strength exercise works the basic body muscles such as legs, hips, arms, shoulders, back and the chest.
When it comes to strength exercises, the adults can do various exercises using weights, resistance bands, and more. For example, they can do wall push-ups, overhead press, squats and many others. However, doing strength exercise can depend on the physical ability of individuals. These exercises can be done 2 to 3 days a week.
Balance Exercises
There are geriatric physical therapy exercises that can improve balance. Balance exercises are meant to improve stability when walking, standing or doing day to day activities. For instance, balance exercises can prevent adults from falling. Some of the exercises may include stork pose, squats, heel to toe walking, heel raises, marching and many others. As such, these exercises are meant to improve muscle mass. These exercises can be performed twice or more a week. Exercises that improve stability can be done daily. For example, these may include heel to toe walking and leg raises, among others.
Flexibility Exercises
The flexibility exercises are good for stretching the muscles. It is well known that ageing effects affect the flexibility of muscles and joints. As such, doing stretching and flexibility exercises can improve their physical ability.
Therefore, they can do exercises that stretch their hips, arms, back, shoulders, calves and more. For example, some of the exercises include hands and fingers stretching, inner thigh stretch, seated lifts, calf stretch, backstretch and many others. These exercises can be done before and after the main exercises. They help to prepare the body for the upcoming challenge. After training it helps the body to recover faster and to calm the body muscles.
Endurance Exercises
The endurance exercises are good for improving the cardio. They improve the heart rate and breathing. As such, the seniors must set aside 10 minutes of endurance exercises. Some of the exercises include jogging, swimming dancing, biking or cycling, brisk walking and many others.
Dynamic Balance Exercises For Elderly
As you grow older, balance changes. Are you able to walk smoothly without un-aided?
Some seniors find it hard to walk with good balance. In addition, they might fall or they end up compromising their posture. To improve balance, you can do dynamic balance exercises for the elderly. These may include, single leg balance, tai chi, balance ball exercises, high knee marching, sideways walking and many others. These exercises are good for preventing fall and improving balance.
Gentle Exercises For Seniors
Seniors have fragile bodies. As much as they must exercise, they must pay attention to their fragile bodies. Therefore, they must do gentle exercises to avoid further hurting themselves. Below are some of the gentle exercise that they can do;
Shoulder Blade Squeeze
This exercise targets the upper body muscles. For instance, it stretches the chest and also frees the stiff shoulder muscles. In addition, the shoulder blade squeeze is good for training the postural muscles.
Toe Taps
This exercise targets the lower body. Specifically, it exercises the legs and the calves. Such, the leg muscles and joints gets flexible to move and to reduce pains. In addition, it can reduce stiffness and poor blood circulation. Interestingly, this is an exercise that you can do while seated.
Knee Lifts
This is another exercise that targets the lower body. Knee lifts exercise is good for strengthening the thighs.
Neck Stretch
This exercise targets the upper body muscles. It exercises the neck, shoulders and upper back. The good thing is that you do this exercise while seated on the chair comfortably.
Band Pull Apart
This exercise is good for exercising the arms and the chest. It strengthens the upper body muscles.
Pilates
The Pilates is good for improving flexibility. In addition, they improve core strength and balance.
Swimming
Swimming is good for calming the body muscles. In addition, it doesn’t improve physical ability but it also calms the mind. More so, exercising in water is therapeutic.
Walking
This exercise is good for improving mobility and strengthening muscles. In addition, it lowers the risk of chronic diseases associated with ageing such as stroke, heart disease and many many others.
Fun Balance Exercises For Elderly
Elders have fragile bodies and they are prone to losing balance when they are walking or standing. As such, they need to do exercises that can help them to break the fall. Falling can lead to injuries. As an adult, you must avoid injuries at all cost. Therefore, doing these fun balance exercise can help to balance you while walking or standing. The exercises can make you more stable when walking.
- Toe stands
- Balancing wand
- Grapevine
- Heel to toe
- Marching
- Side leg raise
- Clock reach
- Back leg raise
- Rock the boat
- Flamingo stand
Group Physical Therapy Ideas For Geriatric Patients
Seniors spend their time indoors and exercising can be fun if they can train as a group. Those who stay in health facilities can enjoy training as a group. In addition, training as a group can be good for interacting and for mutual support. It can be a way for socialising. As such, the seniors can motivate each other and share mutual understanding as they exercise. There are various exercises that can be done by geriatric patients. Below are some of them.
- Strength exercises
- Overhead press
- Resistance band workout
- Squats
- Zumba
- Dumbbell strength training
- Balance exercises
- Pilates
- Walking
- Squats
- Aqua jogging
- Endurance exercises
- Cycling
- Brisk walking
- Swimming
- Jogging
- Flexibility exercises
- Yoga exercises
- Zumba classes
Exercises For Seniors Over 75
Seniors over 75 years of age can exercise to improve stability, endurance, balance and more. They can do chair exercises whereby they will be training in the comfort of a chair. Hence, such exercise can challenge them but not strain them.
Considering their bodies are fragile, they must also do gentle exercises. In addition, they must at least stretch their bodies daily and keep themselves physically active to avoid attracting various diseases. Therefore, keeping themselves physically active can lower, mental issues such as depression, anxiety and many others.
Older people lose strength due to ageing as such, they must also do exercises that strengthen their bodies so as to increase muscle mass and bone density. Therefore, seniors over 75 must stay active. The adage that goes; age is a number also applies when it comes to training.
The seniors must not make excuses of age numbers when it comes to training. Hence, they must do various exercises to keep their bodies healthy. After all, exercising can improve their social lifestyle. Below are some of the exercise that they can do.
- Hand and Finger stretches
- Neck twist
- Wall push-ups
- Pilates
- Shoulder stretch
- Side to side sway
- Toe lifts
- Jogging
- Walking
Exercise To Be Avoided By Seniors
As much as they must exercises, seniors must consider their fragile bodies. There are exercises that they cannot do. For example, such exercises might cause permanent injuries. As a senior, injuries must be avoided. Therefore, exercises that strain their bodies must be avoided. For instance, high-intensity exercise must not be entertained. Therefore, they must do exercises that challenge their bodies. But those that put them at risk must be avoided. Below is a list of exercises that must be avoided;
- Deadlift
- Push-ups
- Chin-ups
- Squats with weights
- Long-distance running
- Rock climbing
Take Away
Women who are 70 plus years can do various geriatric physical therapy exercises to keep their bodies healthy. Some of the geriatric physiotherapy exercises that they can do should at least target all the major muscles of legs, back, shoulders, arms and chest.
By doing so, they can keep themselves healthy from chronic diseases. Seniors must at least train for 2 or 3 days a week. Some of the exercises that they can do include, jogging, swimming, walking, cycling, Pilates, knee lifts and many others. They should avoid spending the whole day seated or lysing. However, they should avoid exercises that strain their bodies such as deadlifts, rock climbing, push-ups and many others.
Which exercises would you recommend for geriatric physical therapy? Share your experiences.