by Jeff Moyer, PT, MSPT, ATC, CSCS Biltmore Location
People are living longer; by 2030, 1 in 6 people will be aged 60 years or over. As we age, our muscle mass will start to decrease after age 30, and this decline will speed up after age 60. But there are ways you can prevent this natural decline. There are millions of online searches related to all sorts of anti-aging hacks, but I believe one of the real secrets to aging well is exercise. Here are my five simple at-home daily exercises that can help people on their journey towards aging gracefully.
Five Must-Do Exercises for Seniors to Age Gracefully
#1 – Everyday Deadlifts —Did you know grip strength is an indicator of overall health?
Deadlifts are key to strengthening the back, leg, arms, and GRIP STRENGTH – and you don’t need to pump iron to get the benefits. No fancy or heavy exercise equipment is necessary. Seniors can use typical household items like a milk jug, a case of water, or a laundry bin to perform the exercise. Remember to bend at the knees to lift.
#2 – Chair Squats:
Seniors can strengthen their leg muscles by practicing standing up from a chair hands-free or doing squats daily. It also makes other daily activities more manageable, such as getting off the toilet or taking the stairs.
#3 – Standing on One Leg:
40% of a person’s walking cycle is spent on one leg. If seniors can’t balance on a single leg, their strides are shorter, creating a fall risk. Practicing single-leg balances for 10 seconds can help minimize that possibility. In addition, single-leg balances strengthen the leg from the hip down to the ankle.
Bonus: Heel Raises– This works on power which helps a senior to catch themselves when having a loss of balance moment.
#4 – Side-Lying Windmills:
This exercise helps the low back, mid back, and neck to stay flexible. Spines are meant to move; when people stop rotating them, they become stiff, and range of motion shrinks. This exercise is vital for keeping the range of motion and the ability to look left and right while driving, walking, rolling over in bed, or catching oneself during a fall.
#5 – Daily Walking (hint: 10,000 steps not required):
Gone are the times when professionals recommended 10,000 steps every day. Now, experts say you can reap all the benefits you need from walking 7,500 steps daily. That can be three to five 10-minute walks a day. The speed doesn’t matter. Just the steps count. By meeting this goal, seniors can reduce their mortality risk, improve cardiovascular health, and prevent muscle loss.
Aging gracefully comes with challenges, but with some daily maintenance, you can grow old gracefully. The therapists at Foothills are trained and ready to help people enjoy an active life for as long as they can!
Foothills provides a professionally supervised program designed to build and maintain functional strength, flexibility, and balance. Our highly trained staff is here to properly evaluate and quickly identify your strength and activity level, giving you the confidence to return to doing what you love. Schedule an appointment for a free consultation to speak to a physical therapist about a home exercise program to keep you aging gracefully.
