Enhancing Senior Mobility: Tips for Staying Active and Independent

Do you get enough exercise? The CDC recommends a minimum of 150 minutes a week for adults. In other words, adults need about a half hour each weekday.

Everyone lets their exercise goals slip as time goes on, but it's never more important than as people age. Seniors gain a wealth of benefits from regular strenuous activity, particularly improved senior mobility. But if you've never been much of a gym rat, how do you start?

No matter what the state of your senior fitness, it's never too late to start. Here's a brief list of tips on being an active senior in Lexington, KY, with a focus on elderly independence.

Senior Mobility Starts with Stretching

A big key to senior mobility is making sure your muscles don't go full-throttle without a proper warm-up. One of the best ways to warm up is with stretching. According to Harvard Health, stretching not only makes you more flexible but improves your range of motion and reduces the chance of joint pain and muscle injuries.

Before you exercise, get into the habit of stretching first. Focus on those related to the exercise you have planned for the day. So, if you're running, stretch your calves, thighs, and hamstrings.

Tips for Stretching

Stretching takes technique and practice just like any other exercise. For starters, always make sure to go slow. Stop if you feel sharp or stabbing pain, and don't hold a stretch for too long.

Further, make sure you're consistent with stretching every day or week. When you do it, breathe deep, in through the nose and out through the mouth.

Also, be extra sure you have something to balance against while stretching. Balance exercises can result in fewer falls and help with walking stability, too. Do them even if you have to include your mobility aids in the stretches.

Should You Stretch Beyond Workouts?

Yes, absolutely. Stretching is an activity you can do on your rest days and your weekends. It's an excellent brief activity for when you're feeling sore from sleeping, or after sitting too long.

Try Mobility Training

If weightlifting and jogging are your favorite ways to exercise, then we won't stop you. But we recommend trying out mobility training to improve elderly independence and, well, mobility. Mobility training focuses on stretch moves that both strengthen your muscles and make you more lithe.

There is a long list of mobility training exercises you can try. Some involve yoga; some involve exercises while on a stationary bike. Let's focus instead on some tips when doing them in general.

Short Durations Are Best

Generally speaking, mobility training serves best when you keep it under 30 minutes. Many people do mobility training for as little as five to ten minutes before their regular exercise. Aside from requiring less commitment from you, it means you can do these exercises almost anywhere, even at home.

Get a Foam Roller

Foam rollers may look a little silly, but they serve a vital purpose. The pressure they induce on certain areas of your body is an excellent tension reliever. Try exercises that have you rolling across them, back and forth.

Get a Mat and Yoga Blocks

Mobility exercises do cause some strain, but they should be fairly easy and comfortable overall. However, some of the moves you'll try may seem to push your body beyond what it's capable of. To alleviate this, we recommend a couple of tools.

One, get a mat instead of working on hard ground. Your joints, back, and rear end will thank you. Also, consider yoga blocks, which can be a life changer for those difficult poses that require you to hold them.

Join Workout Events

Group workouts are a much more enticing proposition since everyone's sweating, not just you. Thankfully, the activity calendar for your community is full of events that get you up on your feet and moving. Seniors in Lexington, KY, can enjoy "sit and be fit" sessions, "train with therapy," and more.

Many struggle with the boredom and tedium that comes with going to the gym or jogging. Group events make it fun, giving you an incentive to come back.

Find a Gym Partner

Nothing's better than a gym buddy, and that doesn't change for seniors living in a community. In addition to the community aspect already mentioned, a gym partner helps with accountability. You both keep each other in check, and one can motivate the other to go on a nightly stroll in the neighborhood of your community.

Try Daily Walks

If you're struggling to find things to do, or to find the motivation to do them, try for simple activities. Daily walks are a great choice for mobility since they loosen your hips and knees. You get some fresh air and sunlight, in addition to getting your heart rate up.

Find any way you can to inspire yourself to get active. For example, you could take a stroll around the stunning gardens and amenities of your senior community for some visual stimuli. Literally walking around and smelling the roses may be just what the doctor ordered.

Make Goals

If you don't track your progress, then how can you know you've made any? Goals are essential to exercise, especially for seniors. Keep track not only of how often you do mobility exercises but how long you do them.

Being able to hold stretches for longer makes you a lot more limber. Setting goals shows you how far you've come and gives you an idea of how much further you can push yourself. Plus, with aging and activity, you need to make sure you're getting that 150-minute minimum of activity per week.

Find Community at Preston Greens in Lexington, KY

Senior mobility is a top priority when exercising and staying active in one's twilight years. Make sure to include stretching, mobility exercises, and walks in your routine. Attend workout events with a training partner and set goals to see how far you've come.

Preston Greens Senior Living in Lexington, KY, is the community for seniors. Testimonials, aside from singing our praises in general, point to our warm reception for seniors in search of a community they can call home. Reach out to us today to schedule a tour to see our wonderful senior living location.