Senior Health: Exercises Elderly People Should Not Be Doing
Senior Health: Research shows that everyone should be exercising regularly in their life.
With this being said, each individual should make sure the exercises they do are safe for them. For example, most elderly people can do yoga or pilates. However, there are many exercises that elderly people should not be doing. While this may not apply to every elderly person, it is important for family caregivers to know about these exercises, so they can help keep their elderly loved ones safe.
Running
Some running for elderly people might be okay. This is going to depend on the physical state of your elderly loved one. However, long-distance running is generally not safe for elderly people. If your elderly loved one likes to run or would like to try, there are some tips for them. Some of these tips include:
Always run with a loved one, friend, or elder care provider
Run at short intervals
Do light jogging instead of running to start
Take a brisk walk before trying to run
Run using an indoor exercise machine
If your elderly loved one uses these tips, they can lower their risk of getting injured while exercising.
Climbing Stairs
Another great exercise is climbing stairs. However, this is something that may be dangerous for many elderly people. The reason for this is because many elderly people have balance issues. Some of them have difficulty lifting their legs high enough to safely go up and down the stairs. If this is something your elderly loved one wants to do, there are alternatives they can try. Some of these include:
March in place
Use stationary stair climbing machines
Use a stationary bike
If your elderly loved one uses these alternatives, they can still reap the benefits of climbing stairs, without actually doing that exercise.
Higher-Impact Aerobics
Most elderly people can’t do higher-impact aerobics. These exercises will likely put too much strain on their lungs and hearts. However, there is much lower-impact aerobics that is usually safe for elderly people. These exercises include:
Cycling
Pilates
Water aerobics
Walking
You and elder care providers should encourage your elderly loved one to do the lower-impact aerobics regularly.
Senior Health: Conclusion
These are some of the exercises that elderly people probably shouldn’t do. If your elderly loved one is ever wondering which exercises they can and can’t do, you or an elder care provider can talk to their doctor about it.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering Elderly Care in Newark, DE, please contact the caring staff at Macklyn Home Care today. (302) 691-3217
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