
"Older adults should break up prolonged periods of being sedentary with light activity when physically possible, or at least with standing "
...continue reading"Older adults should break up prolonged periods of being sedentary with light activity when physically possible, or at least with standing "
...continue readingIn Chichester feeling unsteady will ring true with many people with it's uneven pavements. Unfortunately not a lot can be done about the pavements but we can improve our balance.
...continue readingWhat is getting a lot of press at the moment is the Build Strength part of the guidelines. It's always been there but it is now given greater emphasis as the evidence it helps maintain physical function, reduce the risk of falls, and help people feel more confident can not be overstated.
...continue readingOsteoarthritis can be seen as a reason to avoid exercise. However a great infographic from the Institute of Bone and Joint Research shows that even if walking and doing some exercise may hurt the answer is not to avoid those activities as they are both important.
Yes, FREE!!! and who doesn't love a bargain?
So what's this secret exercise?
...continue reading
The most common search term that lands a person at my blog usually incorporates the words quadricep exercise and arthritis. I have already covered the topic here but I thought I would explain another exercise that you can do to strengthen your quadriceps if you have arthritis in your knees.
This is not only for those with arthritis, if you still find wall squats difficult for any reason then this might be a good substitute. This exercise does need a piece of equipment, a resistance band. Now you can get various different types of resistance bands, if you have any problems with your wrists I recommend you get ones with a handle.
Here are some examples of what you could use (not price checked) Fitness-MAD studio Pro Safety Resistance Tube or Perfect Fitess Resistance Band system or USA Pro Body Bands (no handles).
As this exercise is for a large muscle group I recommend you get one of the heavier resistance bands.
I will be doing some more articles using resistance bands as they really are perfect for throwing in your bag and taking with you for a walk around the park.
Remember to do this exercise slowly to get the full benefit, there should always be tension in the band.
Once you are comfortable doing 5 repetitions on each leg then increase the number of repetitions you do.
Before starting any new exercise program please check with your doctor and clear any exercise changes with them.
For more information on Personal Training please go here Whole Life Fitness, Personal Training for the over 50s. This will open a new browser window.
I am going to nominate the squat as one of the most important exercises you can do whether its the wall slide, body weight squat or squat with added weight. To prove how important it is one of the most oft used phrases when teaching the squat is "pretend you are sitting down in a chair". Yes being able to squat means you will continue to be able to sit down and stand up safely without using your arms (or the chair arms) for assistance. Stronger legs means better balance, so less likely to fall. They also reduce your risk of lower back and knee pain, improve mobility and of course who doesn't want a bottom that fills out their trousers.
Beginner - Walls slide (also good for those with arthritis in the knee)
Do not worry if you can not get this far down to start with, just slide down the wall to a position comfortable for you.
3. Slowly push with the legs, weight going thru the heels and slide up the wall to return to starting position.
Start by doing this 3 times a day, to increase the difficulty of this exercise then when you are in the seated position hold for 5 seconds before sliding back up the wall.
Intermediate - Body weight squat to chair
When you first try these place a chair behind you, it will help you visualise what you are suppose to be doing. If necessary actually sit in the chair when you lower yourself.
3. The position you are going down to is just below parallel for your thighs, where your bottom drops below your knees BUT this is a position you are working towards, when you start just go down as far as it feels comfortable. At this point your form is more important than your range of movement.
4. Keeping the weight in your heels, slowly push your body back up.
5. Start with 3 repetitions and work up to 10.
So 2 exercises the press up and squat, both movements which use lots of muscles but no equipment! The next post will be covering a back exercise, as we age it's actually important that we strengthen the back to help prevent the hunching that can occur as we age for now - as you are probably reading this on a PC or laptop - I will just say sit up straight!
Before starting any new exercise program please check with your doctor and clear any exercise changes with them.
Helen Witcomb runs Whole Life Fitness which is a personal training company which specialises in the over 50s. For more information please visit Whole Life Fitness or call 01252313578.
A study published recently in the Britsh Medical Journal has shown that integrating balance and strength exercises into daily life can significantly reduce the risk of a repeat fall. The study was conducted on people 70 years or older, living in the community and having two or more falls, or one injurious fall, in the past year.
There were 3 groups, a control group, a group engaged in structured exercise using weighted ankle cuffs and a group assigned a Lifestyle integrated Functional Exercise (LiFE) programme designed by the University of Sydney. This programme involved embedding balance and lower limb strength training into daily routines, such as walking, stepping over objects and moving from sitting to standing.
The study, conducted over a year, found a significant (31%) reduction in the rate of falls for participants in the LiFE programme compared with the control group. The overall incidence of falls in the LiFE programme was 1.66 per person years, compared with 1.90 in the structured programme and 2.28 in the control group. There was a non-significant reduction in the rate of falls for participants in the structured programme compared to the control group.
In New South Wales a report puts the amount of older adults doing strength training at less than 10%. I was not able to find a figure for the UK but the fact is that only 8% currently go to the gym regularly and only 17% of men and 12% of women in the 65-74 age bracket are reaching recommended levels of exercise a week (taken from the 204 Chief Medical Offices Report).
The 2011 Chief Medical Officers report, Start Active, Stay Active gives the following recommendations for strength training:
The study also suggested that exercise incorporated into every day life resulted to greater adherence to the programme.
As well as helping reduce the risk of falls there are many other benefits of strength training for older adults,
For more information about the report please click here which will take you the the BMJ.
I run a small exercise group in Farnham in the beautiful Farnham Park which combines a brisk walk with strength training. It caters to all levels of fitness and it is always lovely to see new faces.
Before starting any new exercise program please check with your doctor and clear any exercise changes with them.
I've had a request for some ideas for a tennis warm up and cool down.
Tennis is excellent all round exercise, and you can play tennis as long as you’re able to walk and move your arm. However as you get older, the warm up becomes even more important to help prevent injury and keep you playing your best. ...continue reading
Falls are a major health problem among older adults. Every year over 400,000 older people in England attend A&E departments following a fall. 30% of over 65yrs will fall each year, rising to 50% of 85yr olds[i]. ...continue reading