Remember when you could stand upright or walk without pain as a young person? Those were the days, and many people took them for granted. In fact, the fear of falling may have never been a thought, but things change over the years. The body’s systems that detect positioning, gravity, and balance become less effective with age. This is why it’s in the best interest of older adults to practice balance exercises. 

The ability to maintain balance slowly declines, and a large part of this loss has to do with muscle loss. Additionally, people don’t exercise as much as they get older, and certain medications or surgeries can reduce the ability to balance. When the ability to balance declines, it’s much easier to experience falls and injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the most common cause of injuries in older adults. By the numbers, one in four seniors falls and experiences injury every year. 

Now, older people are not helpless. Many old people can maintain balance and do the things they love. The following exercises work to strengthen the body’s balance systems, helping to reduce the risk of falling and injury as you age. 

Foot Taps

Stand in front of a step, for example, at the bottom of set of stairs or staircase. If stairs aren’t available, use a sturdy step stool. If you have a cane or supportive walking stick, it can be helpful to use for support. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and slowly lift your left leg up, tapping the top of the stair or step with your foot. Repeat 15-20 times and then repeat on the right leg. 

Sit-to-Stands

Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart and your back facing a sturdy chair. If necessary, hold on to a wall or solid piece of furniture for balance. Ideally, you should not hold on to anything for support. Sit back slowly and lower your hips on to the chair gently. Pause here and then engage your glutes to return to the starting position. Do not rock or swing to use momentum to stand up. Perform 10 repetitions.

Knee Raise To Side Lift

Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms out to the sides and lift your right leg up slowly. Bring your knee toward your chest as high as you can. Once you’re in that position, lower your leg about halfway down and then extend it to the side. Return to the knee-to-chest position and continue to alternate between that and the side extension. Complete 10 reps and then repeat on the other leg. 

Rock The Boat

This is a simple exercise that helps address standing balance problems. Start by standing with your feet hip-distance apart and make sure you plant them firmly on the floor. Slowly lift your left leg out to the side or behind you and hold the pose for 30 seconds. Use a chair or cane for balance if necessary. You can hold on to your bent leg for added support. Return to the starting position and then repeat on the other leg. Complete five repetitions of 30 seconds on each leg. 

March In Place

Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart. Shift you weight to the left leg and engage your core. In a controlled movement, lift your right knee and keep your foot flexed. It’s natural to round your shoulders, but counteract that by keeping your head high and back straight. Lift your knee as high as you can and then pause at the apex of the exercise. Return your foot to the floor and repeat on the left leg. Continue alternating until you complete 20 repetitions (10 per side).

Heel-Toe Walking

Stand tall and put your right foot in front of your left foot so that the right heel touches the front of your left toes. Slowly but surely, move your left foot in front of your right foot, touching your left heel to the front of your right toes. Continue with this heel-toe stepping until you complete 20 steps. When you take each step, make sure to step down with your heel first and then lower the ball of your foot on the ground. The closer the placement of your feet, the harder this exercise is. 

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Aging is a natural part of life that takes a toll on the body. Engaging in various forms of exercise can keep the body active and mobile, but stretching is of equal importance in regards to mobility. Stretching is crucial for anyone who wants to move with ease, which gets more difficult to do in old age. As you ascend the ladder of life, though, there are certain stretches to practice regularly if you want to maintain mobility.

Stretching is a great tool to maintain healthy muscles and joints. It may also delay the onset of health conditions, including diabetes and arthritis. Some studies even found that stretching can improve mental health. For seniors, stretching can play a critical role balance improvement, which may reduce the risk of falling. Although stretching will not prevent the natural changes in tendons, bones, and mobility, it may make movements easier and less painful. Continue reading to learn what these stretches are.

Standing Calf Stretch

In order to properly execute this stretch, stand with your hands on the wall for support with the feet shoulder-width apart. Step your left leg back to establish a split stance and press your left heel into the floor. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in your left calf. Hold this position for ten breaths and then repeat on the other side. 

Standing Quadricep Stretch

In order to maintain mobility as a senior it’s important to keep the quadriceps limber. Before you begin, get loose by walking around the room for a couple minutes. Grab a sturdy chair and stand behind it, using the back of it as support. You will be balancing on one leg for this exercise, so please make sure the chair is stable. Hold on to the chair with your left hand, bend your right knee,\ and reach back with your right hand to grab your right ankle. Gently pull your foot towards your bottom. Hold this position for 10-30 seconds, lower your leg, and then repeat on the other leg. 

Seated Lat Stretch

Stretching the lower back can help reduce tension and discomfort, but you shouldn’t neglect the lats, which are the biggest muscles in the back. Sit in a chair and plant your feet flat on the ground in front of you. Place a stability or yoga ball in front of you and lean forward, keeping the back as flat as possible. Straighten your arms across the ball and allow your head to drop between your hands. If you don’t have a stability ball, you can sit on the chair and place your hands on the couch. Hold the stretch for about 20 seconds and then return to the starting position.

Overhead Side Stretch

You can remain in the chair from the previous stretch, but sit up straight. Extend your right arm overhead and hold the side of the chair with your left hand. Keep the torso long as you lean to the left until you feel a stretch in the oblique area. Hold this stretch for 10-30 seconds and then return back to the starting position. Repeat on the other side. 

Hamstring Stretch

Warning: if you’ve had a hip replacement, it may be beneficial to check with your doctor before engaging in this stretch. You can sit on a bench or in a chair with another chair across from you. Extend your right leg out to place it on the chair in front fo you, keeping the toes facing up. Keep your left foot planted on the floor. While engaging your abs and keeping your back straight, slowly lean forward until you feel a stretch in your hamstring. Do not round your back, as that is not the point of the stretch. Hold this stretch for 10-30 seconds and then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat on the other leg. 

Shoulder Stretch

This stretch aims to open up the shoulders, which can alleviate pain that you experience within the shoulder joint. Stand or sit straight up and plant your feet on the floor hip-distance apart. With your left hand, grab the outside of your right forearm and bring it across your chest until you feel a stretch on the outside of your right shoulder. Keep your right arm just below shoulder height during the stretch. Hold this position for 10-30 seconds and then repeat on the other arm.

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The classic claim is that anyone can do yoga, and this is 100% accurate. All yoga poses have modifications and people with inflexibility, injuries, or limited mobility can all engage in specific yoga poses. In fact, you can perform a wide variety of yoga poses straight from a chair.

Everyone gets something out of yoga, but the people who benefit most are seniors. The reason for this is because elderly people use the brain’s two hemispheres more equally than younger people do. Why does this matter? This ability to use the brain’s two hemispheres equally helps establish a better mind-body connection, which is one of the focal points of yoga.

Now, every elderly person is not incapable of movement. Many seniors are in great physical shape and can practice intermediate to advanced yoga poses. When you cannot do those poses, chair yoga is greatly beneficial. Chair yoga is beneficial if:

• you want to start at the very beginner level
• you have balance issues
• you don’t want to hurt yourself with more advanced poses
• you have limited mobility

The following chair yoga poses offer the same benefits of regular yoga: reduced stress, pain, and improved flexibility. Try to practice the following chair poses for 15 minutes a day. Make sure to take gentle breaths throughout the sequence.

Chair Yoga Exercises

Seated Mountain Pose

During this pose, you must engage your core for it to be worth your while. You can come to this pose after each of the poses in this sequence to help re-center yourself. Sit up straight on your chair, plant your feet on the floor, and elongate your spine, trying to reach the crown of your head toward the ceiling. Take a deep breath in, hold for a few seconds, and then fully release your breath. Make sure your thighs are at a 90-degree angle, parallel to the floor. Hold in and tighten your lower abdominal muscles as you complete four more breaths.

Seated Cat-Cow Pose

This pose helps to loosen the spine and establish rhythmic breathing to control your flow. Sit upright in a chair and plant your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands either on your knees or on the sides of the chair by your hips. Inhale deeply and arch your spine while rolling your shoulders down and back. Try to touch your shoulder blades together before exhaling and rounding your spine, curling forward. Move back and forth between these two positions for five breaths.

Seated Child’s Pose

Child’s pose is a wonderfully relaxing pose, but it can be tough on your knees or ankles if you have any sort of pain in those joints. Doing child’s pose in the chair gets rid of that potential pain. Sit up straight and make sure your butt is all the way at the back of the seat. Slowly bend forward and wrap your arms under your hamstrings. You are essentially giving yourself a hug, cradling your face between your knees. Hold this pose for five deep breaths.

Seated Side Angle Pose

This pose helps you open up your shoulders and stretch your pectoral muscles. When you reach your arm up to the ceiling, fully extend through your fingers to get the most out of this pose. From the seated child’s pose, remain in the folded position and drop both of your palms to the floor. If you cannot do that, you can use yoga blocks for support. Widen your legs, open up to the right side, and extend your right arm up, reaching your towards the ceiling. Try your best to direct your gaze up as well. Hold this pose for three deep breaths and then repeat on the other side.

Seated Warrior II Pose

If you cannot support yourself in regular Warrior II pose, this is a great modification that offers the same benefits. Sit sideways on the chair so that your right side is touching the back of the chair. Keep your right foot planted on the ground while you swing your left leg around back, planting the sole of your foot on the ground. Inhale as you raise both arms above your head, and then exhale as you lower them so they are in line with your shoulders (see above photo). Direct your gaze toward your right hand and take three deep breaths. Repeat on the other side.

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Although yoga is an age-old practice, it has risen to popularity within the past 30 years and has become integral part of people’s lives. Yoga is a meditative practice that focuses on breathing techniques while improving core strength and flexibility. Many elderly people, women in particular, have turned to yoga to maintain healthy joint mobility and flexibility.

If you don’t know where to begin, yoga can be an intimidating form of exercise. It seems that there are endless poses, some of which involve mild contortion, which can overwhelm people who are new to yoga. If you are over 60 years old, the last thing you want to do is push your body to do more than it can because this can increase your risk of injury.

The Benefits Of Yoga For Seniors

Maintaining balance, flexibility, and strength is paramount as we age. Not only does this help maintain bone health and muscle mass, but it also helps to improve the mental state and emotional wellbeing. Anecdotal research has found that women in their sixties and seventies who practice yoga have fewer calcium deficiencies in bones than women who don’t do yoga. If you are a senior, you can practice the following poses to keep the body strong and beautiful.

An Important Note: You should not push the body to the point of discomfort. All yoga poses can be modified and you can always return to a comfortable position like child’s pose at any time. Keep that in mind as you move through the poses below.

Uttanasana – Standing Forward Fold

This is a mild inversion pose that intends to gently stretch the hamstrings. It may help ease stress and combat osteoporosis. Stand upright with your feet hip-distance apart. Take few deep breaths in this position and begin to fold forward until your forehead is facing your legs. Don’t bend your knees as you fold. If you can’t touch the floor, you can support yourself with yoga blocks.

Adho Mukha Svanasana – Downward Facing Dog

This pose is beneficial for strengthening the shoulder muscles, calves, hamstrings, and more. Downward dog has been known to improve circulation and combat menopausal distress. Begin on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Raise your knees up and sink back into your heels as best you can to establish an inverted “V” position. You can always bend your knees slightly if it becomes too difficult.

Virabhadrasana – Warrior 1 Pose

Strengthen your legs while simultaneously opening up the hips by engaging in Warrior 1 pose. Tight hips can lead to back pain, so create mobility in the hips and legs via this pose. From Downward Dog, bring your right knee into your chest and place your right food between your hands. Plant your left foot on the ground and turn it outward at a 45-degree angle. Slowly rise up, keeping the right leg bent, the left leg straight, and your hips facing forward. Extend your hands over your head and sink into the stretch. Repeat on the other leg.

Parsva Balasana – Bird Dog Pose

This pose is beneficial for abdominal, back, and hamstring support. Keeping the spine as healthy as possible is integral as we age, and Bird Dog pose can assist with this. Begin in a tabletop position with your hands on the ground beneath your shoulders and knees directly beneath your hips. Extend your right arm out in front of you while extending and lifting the left leg backwards. Engage your core to maintain your center of balance. Repeat on the other side.

Baddha Konasana – Bound Angle Pose

This pose works to target the lower back and hips, two common areas of pain for menopausal women. The goal is to open the hips in this pose, but it can take time so be patient. Sit down on your buttocks with your knees out to the sides and the soles of your feet touching near your groin. Make sure to sit tall and allow your knees to drop closer to the floor.

Bhujangasana – Cobra Pose

Give your back muscles a good stretch by practicing Cobra pose. Make sure to relax your shoulders in this pose and keep the tops your feet on the mat, being careful not to roll them out to the sides. Begin on the ground on your stomach and place your hands on the mat by your chest. Place the tops of your feet on the mat and push up until your arms are straight. If this is too difficult, you can modify the pose by keeping your forearms on the ground with your elbows near your chest. This still helps to strengthen and lengthen the back.

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