Elderly Exercise

If you are worried about arthritis pain, there are many ways to combat its effects. Thermal wraps to help relieve the pain experienced during or after exercise. Always talk to your doctor about starting an exercise program and ask them for safety tips. If you have a medical condition like diabetes and high blood pressure, your doctor may need to recommend against certain exercise routines.

What types of exercises are safe for elderly patients?

Moderate exercise is recommended for elderly patients. From 30 minutes of brisk walking to going for a daily bike ride, there are wonderful strength training exercises you can do that will improve circulation and build your muscles. During exercise it is important to wear well-fitting, comfortable shoes. They need to provide you with plenty of support that will absorb shock and reduce the pressure and tension on your joints.

As you start out with exercise, begin slowly with exercises that will not push your muscles too far. Water aerobics and yoga are great exercises for the elderly as they don't strain the muscles. Water aerobics is recommended because the water helps to support the joints so when you lift the weights up and down and do different movements, it will not hurt your joints.

Resistance bands are another wonderful tool to use for senior exercise because you can use them to build up your muscles without lifting weights. Weight lifting can cause strain on the muscles, which can lead to pulled muscles and intense pain. The one thing to remember when you are exercising is to be careful and do not push the muscles too hard. Exercise at a low or medium intensity until your muscles become used to it.

As you exercise, pace yourself. Take 5 minutes to warm up and 5 minutes to cool down. If your heart starts to race or you feel like you are about to pass out, lay down and breathe for a few minutes. Deep breathing is a great way to cool down your nervous system and it can help you get through the exercise program easier.

Exercise help

Always take care of your body both during and after you exercise. It is not always going to be as easy to do some of the same exercises you did when you were in your 20's and 30's and the day after you do some strength training exercises, you may feel pain. If you are feeling pain, especially in the joints, you have pushed your body too much. Slow down and do some lower intensity exercises like brisk walking. Use the thermal wraps to surround the joints for a couple hours to see if this helps to relieve some of the pain. Only do strength training exercises 2-3 days per week. If you are experiencing chest pain, dizziness, nausea, or balance problems you need to contact your doctor immediately.

Another thing that may help to relieve the joint pain is to soak your muscles in a warm sitz bath for about 20 minutes after you exercise. Having a hot stone massage may also help to soothe the muscles and it will leave you feeling more relaxed. As always, stretch both before and after you exercise to prepare your muscles and to keep them loose and limber.

At CareGiver Partnership we offer knowledge and resources to help those who help others. Caring for the elderly is a rewarding but, often difficult undertaking. Working hand-in-hand with caregivers is our passion. We provide many different items which can be utilized in and out of the home of your patient or loved one.
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