Health Benefits of Workout Programs for the Elderly
Wednesday, August 2, 2017 - Author: Robert
Health practitioners and fitness experts often tout the benefits of regular exercise throughout life. Despite this, many people still do not know much about exercises for elderly people. They incorrectly assume that people who are over 65 years of age should not exercise. This is a complete misconception. In fact, they should.
Let's look at the benefits of elderly workouts
According to Family Physicians, almost all older people can greatly benefit from the additional physical activity. It goes without saying that these exercises have to be recommended by a certified physical trainer to ensure safety. Fortunately, properly designed exercise programs for the elderly can help seniors better manage chronic diseases, improve their mood and lessen their chances of injuring themselves during the day to day activities.
Improve the function of the heart and lungs
Maintaining a regular exercise regime provides a myriad of health benefits to the senior citizens. Gentle cardiovascular exercise helps improve the function of the heart and lungs, improving stamina and reducing the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. If an elderly person already has some symptoms of hypertension, exercise can help lower blood pressure readings into a healthy range. When aerobic exercise is combined with sensible dietary changes, seniors can often reduce their "bad cholesterol" while increasing their "good cholesterol" levels.
Regain strength
Doing exercises to build and tone muscles enable seniors to regain the strength they may have lost due to years of inactivity. Elder men and women lose bone mass as they age. In fact, post-menopausal women can lose as much as 2 % of their bone mass each year. Strength training exercise protects the bones of the elderly against the loss of bone mass and hence, reduces the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
Improve balance and confidence
Incorporating functional movements like walking, reaching, standing up and sitting down can make exercise programs for the elderly even more effective by improving balance and confidence. Improving flexibility by stretching reduces the risk of injury, improves circulation and helps seniors better manage stress.
Reduce risk of many diseases
As we age, our bodies do take a little longer to repair themselves. Fortunately, with moderate physical activity, people of all ages and ability levels can lead much healthier and happier lives. In fact, the benefits of regular exercise for the elderly far outweigh the risks. Even older people with chronic diseases can exercise safely if they receive proper guidance from a certified personal trainer.
The range of motion workouts describes your ability to move your body, like how high you can raise your arms or bend your legs, comfortably. Range-of-motion workout programs for the aged individuals aims to increase their ability to move their body without any pain. This program includes various sets of repetitive and progressive stretching exercises. Physical therapists, nurses or nursing assistants help to move arms and legs of the elderly people during passive range-of-motion exercises. Senior people can also move their limbs on their own during the active range-of-motion exercises. These workouts are extremely beneficial for all older adults.
Conclusion
In summary, ideal exercise programs for the elderly must consist of the following components - aerobic exercise, strength training, balance, and flexibility. Many medical conditions including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, osteoporosis, and obesity can be positively impacted by regular physical exercise. A healthy, strong body is better prepared to fight off infection and illness, and more quickly recover from setbacks. The key to any exercise program for the elderly is to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity of the workout program over time.
About the Author
Robert is keen on investigating healthcare issues, regarding weight loss tactics, healthy lifestyle and workout routines. His website - thefitnesstracker.com - is a great resource for those who are interested in learning more about digital waterproof fitness trackers - healthcare gadgets for making a better life.