As the body ages, muscles may weaken, ligaments may become thinner, and other health complications can arise. Though maintaining some level of physical activity is important for your senior loved one’s health, there are some exercises that could cause more harm than good and should be avoided later in life. To prevent injury, suggest your loved one refrain from the following exercises.
Running
For aging adults who are looking for safe ways to exercise, running isn’t a good choice. With each stride, the knees and legs experience a level of force that’s equal to three times the person’s body weight, and this is too great an impact for aging adults who aren’t accustomed to running. It can damage the joints and lead to severe injuries.
Avoiding certain exercises is just one of the many ways older adults can maintain their health and wellbeing. Seniors who want to remain healthy as they age can benefit in a variety of ways when they receive professional senior care. Home Care Assistance is here to help your loved one accomplish daily tasks, prevent illness, and focus on living a healthier and more fulfilling life.
Crunches
Doing crunches can create tension and pain in the neck and overextend the spine, causing it to strain. If the curvature of your loved one’s back has become more severe with age, he or she shouldn’t stress it further by doing crunches. To increase core strength, doing leg lifts is safer and more natural for an aging body.
Lunges
Lunges can also put strain on weakened hip sockets and ligaments. As your loved one ages, his or her hips may become more delicate and should have minimal stress applied to them. Lunges can also strain the knees. If the cartilage is thinning around your loved one’s knees, it’s important for him or her to treat them with care in later years so further complications don’t develop.
Some seniors may need help to exercise safely, especially if they have progressive conditions such as Alzheimer’s or dementia. For dementia care Rhode Island families can count on, reach out to Home Care Assistance. Our compassionate caregivers use revolutionary memory care programs to help seniors stave off the progression of dementia, and they can also assist with a wide variety of important everyday tasks, including bathing, grooming, exercise, and cooking.
Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks can cause knee and ankle strain. The jumping pressure along with the slight outward movement of the legs can be dangerous for delicate areas such as these. This activity can put too much stress around the knees and ankles and make your loved one susceptible to fractures and sprains in these joints.
Dead Lifts
Lifting a heavy object from the ground can strain the back muscles and stress the spine. This exercise puts stress not only throughout the back but also on the knees and hips. As elderly bodies become more fragile, dead lifts should be avoided because there are many areas where this exercise could cause severe injury. The risk your loved one takes isn’t worth the potential benefits.
Standing Toe Touches
Bending over to touch the toes and holding a stretched position for too long can reduce mobility and increase blood pressure. The joints that connect the hips and lower back weaken with age, and doing toe touches from a standing position could also cause your loved one to become more vulnerable to fractures, strains, and other types of injuries. While stretching exercises are great for providing aging adults with increased flexibility, your loved one should choose safer forms of stretching, such as seated hamstring and calf stretches.
Seniors who need help exercising safely can benefit from the help of trained professional caregivers. Rhode Island elderly home care experts are available to provide high-quality care to seniors on an as-needed basis. From assistance with mobility and exercise to providing transportation to the doctor’s office and social events, there are a variety of ways professional caregivers can help your aging loved one continue to live independently. Call Home Care Assistance at (401) 284-0979 to learn more about our flexible and customizable senior care plans.