Seated Exercises for Healthy Aging and Maintaining Mobility
Over the years, you can develop habits with how you use your muscles to move and position yourself. With limited exercise and changes in body alignment, you’re more likely to experience discomfort and decreased range of motion.
Over time, your muscles naturally tighten, which can lead to back and overall pain. You may already be doing exercises, but as you age it’s important to modify them to minimize your chance of falling and injury. So, if you’re an older adult, it has never been more important to incorporate seated exercise into your daily routine to help ensure good back health.
Here are safe techniques older adults can use while seated:
Upper body twists
To develop and maintain range of motion in your upper back and engage the core muscles.
• Sit upright with feet flat on the floor, cross your arms and reach for your shoulders.
• With leg straight and raised, point your toes away from you.
• Without moving your hips, shu ing your legs or leaning with your knees, turn your upper body to the left as far as is comfortable.
• Hold for five seconds. Repeat going right. Do five of each.
Hip marching
Strengthens the hips and thighs, improves range of motion, promotes better stability and reduces the risk of falls.
• Sit upright and away from the back of the chair.
• Hold on to the sides of the chair.
• Lift your left leg, with your knee bent, as far as is comfortable. Place foot down with control.
• Repeat with the opposite leg. Do five lifts with each leg.
Ankle point and flex
Improves ankle range of motion, supports overall stability and lowers the risk of blood clots.
• Sit upright, hold on to the side of the chair and straighten your left leg with your foot on the floor.
• With leg straight and raised, point your toes away from you.
• Point toes back towards you.
• Try two sets of five stretches with each foot.
Arm raises
Strengthens the upper back, shoulder, and arm muscles needed to perform many daily tasks.
• Sit upright, arms by your sides.
• With palms forwards, raise both arms out and to the side and up as far as is comfortable. Then return.
• Keep your shoulders down and arms straight throughout.
• Breathe out as you raise your arms and breathe in as you lower them.
• Repeat five times.
Neck rotations
Improves neck mobility, range of motion, and helps to ease muscle stiffness and discomfort.
