It is important that everyone follows a workout routine in order to remain healthy and fit irrespective of age. But not many seniors exercise due to various factors such as lack of information, fear, health problems, etc. This is not recommended as older adults need to exercise just as much as anybody else in order to stay fit.
Flexibility Exercises have numerous health benefits on seniors: it boosts energy, helps balance the body, strengthens the muscles and bones, and helps in maintaining a healthy mind. Elderly people who exercise at least three times a day are said to enjoy a heart that functions like a heart of a person at least ten years younger.
Physically, it helps the seniors maintain a healthy weight or bring their weight down to normal. As you age, it is natural that your metabolic rate reduces and you tend to gain weight. Gaining excess weight is undesirable at any age and gaining weigh t in old age has major complications associated with it. Flexibility exercises help increase the metabolic rate which helps in burning more calories thus assisting in weight maintenance.
Exercises improve the overall health of the person by bettering immune functioning. Flexibility exercises also help maintain good blood pressure, heart rate, bone density etc. Seniors who exercise also showed lower chances of chronic conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, heart diseases, osteoporosis, etc. As Flexibility exercises help seniors with muscle and joint flexibility and easy mobility, it in turn contributes in balance control and coordination in terms of posture and movement, greatly reducing risks of falling and suffering injury.
While performing any type of exercises Endorphins released in the brain helps you experience a high that reduces signs of depression and boosts mental health by regulating brain function. So you are left feeling energetic and active. Flexibility exercises also contribute to good sleep by helping you to fall asleep more quickly and to enjoy a deeper sleep without continuously waking up.
Some of the flexibility exercises that can be executed by seniors are tricep stretches, double hip rotations and shoulder rotations.
Begin the triceps stretches by holding one end of a towel in your right hand. Raise your right arm and bend it in such a way that the towel slings down your back. Now with your left hand clutch the other end of the towel by reaching behind your lower back. Now try to bring both hands together as far as you can by moving right hand down the towel and left hand upwards when you have reached as far as you can hold this position for 15-30 seconds. Switch the towel to the left hand and repeat the same procedure. This exercise has to be repeated about 5 times once you are comfortable with it. This exercise helps in loosening the muscles located in the back of the upper arm.
For shoulder rotation, lie down flat on the floor and stretch your arms out to the sides so that your arms are at right angles to the body and your shoulders must be flat on the floor throughout the exercise. Now turn the elbows so that your lower arm points in the direction of your feet still maintaining the right angle. Hold this position for about 30 seconds. Now turn the elbows so that your lower arms point to your head and hold the position for about 30 seconds. Repeat the exercise about 5 times.
For calves flexibility, stand in front of a wall and place your hands against the wall, standing far enough from the wall so that your arms are straight. Now move one leg back to about 2 feet from the wall and with feet placed firmly on the floor, hold the position for about 15-30 seconds. Now bend that same leg (leg that is moved behind) keeping both feet in position and hold position for about 15-30 seconds. Switch legs and do the same. Repeat the exercise about 3-5 times.
It is recommended to check with a physician and ask if you can perform these flexibility exercises before beginning the stretching exercises. It is important to note that stretching produces a mild sensation and does not cause pain. It is also important to make only slow, smooth movements while performing the exercises. Always practice only exercises specified for older adults; do not practice any type of straining, complicated exercises.
