Senior Care in North Palm Beach FL
For many seniors, walking is a great form of exercise. It is easy to do, low impact, fun, and it is a good cardiovascular exercise. Many seniors who enjoy staying active and fit have a walking routine that they do regularly which helps them to stay healthier, happier, and have better quality of life. One thing many seniors may miss out on with their walking routine, however, is strength training. Strength training is an important form of exercise for keeping bones and muscles healthy and strong. For seniors, this can help prevent falls, injuries, and physical weakness. Fortunately, strength training exercises can easily be added to a walking routine. If you believe that your senior loved one could benefit from adding strength training to their walking routine, read on for a few helpful tips to help you get started.Strength Train When the Weather is Unfavorable When the weather is too hot, too cold, or too rainy to walk, encourage your loved one to do a strength training routine on those days instead of missing out on their workout completely. When they do this regularly, they will find that their walks will be easier and less tiring, due to their strengthened muscles. This is also a good way to ensure that your loved one will get some physical activity in every day.
Add Stretching Stretching can help prevent injuries and soreness. Be sure that your loved one stretches before doing any strength training or going out for a walk.
Do Leg-Strengthening Exercises Leg strengthening exercises such as lunges, toe raises, and heel raises can help your loved one get into great shape for walking. These exercises are low-impact and easy on joints. To ensure success, make sure your loved one starts with just a few reps and increases them as they feel more comfortable. These strengthening exercises require no extra equipment, just your loved one’s own body weight!
Don’t Ignore the Upper Body Walking is an excellent form of exercise for seniors, but many walkers tend to ignore the upper body when it comes to strengthening. For good balance, encourage your loved one to add an upper body strengthening routine a few times each week. For upper body exercises such as curls and presses, your loved one can use hand weights, resistance bands, or nothing at all.
If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in North Palm Beach, FL, contact the caring staff at BrightStar Care of Jupiter. Call today (561) 741-1200.