Older adults tend to face issues with balance, reaction time, speed, coordination, strength, agility, range of motion, etc. A Nutrition Wellness Guide shares 6 easy-to-do exercises that you can incorporate into your health routine to improve your balance and agility
An essential contributor to our balance and bone strength, muscles keep us strong, burn calories and help us maintain our weight but muscle mass decreases as we age hence, we tend to lose our independence and our mobility but the good news is that according to studies, muscle mass can increase at any age in response to exercise. A Boston study revealed of weight lifting and older adults revealed that exercise can be invigorating and help build muscle mass at any age.
Discussing the same in an interview with HT Lifestyle, Vidhya Kripashankar, a Nutrition Wellness Guide at GetSetUp, asserted that most of us tend to neglect religiously following an exercise routine, especially as we get older but regular physical activity becomes all the more important as we age. “Older adults tend to face issues with balance, reaction time, speed, coordination, strength, agility, range of motion, etc. Loss of these abilities can make daily activities challenging. Slips and falls are another major concern with aging. But, the natural aging process does not have to mean that you have to be prone to falling. The good news is that strength can be built, flexibility and coordination can be improved, and consequently risks of falls can be decreased. Adding an exercise routine to your daily activity will result in major improvement in all these factors,” she said.
Explaining that exercising improves your physical and mental health, which will help make you stay independent and active, Vidhya Kripashankar elaborated, “Physical exercise not only makes your bones and muscles stronger, but it also improves blood flow, which allows your body to heal much more quickly. It has also been proven to increase cognitive abilities. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, adding a simple and targeted exercise routine in your daily life can improve your health tremendously.” The fitness expert added, “Choose any exercise program that you like, be it Yoga (helps you in breathing and encourages you to be mindful), Pilates (helps in strengthening core and muscle strength in a gentle way), Strength training (strengthens your muscle), or Aerobics (improves cardiovascular health). Becoming active can simply energize your mood, relieve stress, help you to manage pain and improve your overall sense of well-being.”
She highlighted that in addition to your daily dose of physical activity, there are certain exercises that you can incorporate into your routine to improve your balance and agility. These include:
1. Side walking – Walk sideways, taking 10 to 15 steps to the right, and then to the left. If needed, hold on to a kitchen counter, table or wall for support.
2. Pulling abdomen in – Pull your abdomen in towards your spine (tuck your stomach), hold for 5 seconds and then release. Repeat this 10-15 times, and try doing multiple sets a day. Once you are comfortable with this exercise, you can even try it while you are walking or performing other activities. Keeping your abdomen tucked in protects your lower back.
3. Balancing on one leg – Stand on both feet. Slowly lift one foot and hold it up for 10 seconds. Then switch legs. Repeat at least 5 to 10 times. Make sure you are close to a table or chair for support.
4. Standup and sit down – Sit on a chair and get up in a standing position. Sit back down. Repeat this 15 times. This builds strength and endurance in the hip and thigh muscles, so repeat this multiple times a day.
5. Leg swings – Stand on one leg. Move the other leg forward and back 10 times. Then move the same leg side to side like a pendulum 10 times. Then switch legs. This builds strength in the standing leg and helps in increasing mobility in the moving leg.
6. Walking on a line – Walk forward keeping one foot at a time. Place the heel of one foot directly in front of the toes of the other foot. Same way, do reverse walking. Place the toes of one foot directly behind the heel of the other foot. Focus on one spot while walking.
Vidhya Kripashankar advised, “When performing balance exercises, it’s important to use a chair or wall for extra support. Start with the easiest exercises and gradually move to more challenging ones. Committing to a regular exercise routine will improve your energy level and improve overall well being. Most importantly, make it a point to enjoy
your exercise routine and it will bring positive improvement to your life.”
