10 Easy Exercises You Can Do if You Are 65 or Older

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Exercise is important at all stages of life, but it is especially important if you are a senior.  Seniors need exercise to maintain muscle mass, strengthen aging bones, increase circulation for blood flow to both the heart and the brain, and to help maintain balance to prevent falls.  You should try to exercise thirty minutes each day.  Here are 10 easy exercises you can do if you are 65 or older:

1.  Push the Wall.

Wall pushes strengthen your arms and chest.  To do a wall push, stand about three feet away from the wall, place your hands flat on the wall, then lean in and push back from the wall.  Complete this movement 10 times.

2.  Stand on One Foot.

This exercise is often called “The stork” and is used to improve balance.  Stand straight, and then lift one foot by bending the knee.  Hold the position for 30 seconds, then switch feet.  If you have trouble maintaining your balance, use a chair or the wall for support.

3.  Do Dumbbell Curls.

Dumbbell curls will strengthen your biceps.  Start with a light weight, such as 2 or 5 lbs., and then lift the weight toward your shoulder by bending your elbow.  Repeat 10 times with each arm.

4.  Lift Your Heels.

Heel lifts will stretch and strengthen your calves.  From a sitting position, keep your toes on the floor and lift your heels.  Repeat 20 times.

5.  Sit…Then Stand.

The sit/stand exercise is great for balance, but it will also strengthen leg muscles and the buttocks.  Start in a sitting position, then without using your hands, rise to a standing position.  Hold for 5 seconds, sit, and repeat 10 times.

6.  Do Toe Laps.

Toe taps will strengthen your lower legs and also increase blood flow.  Sit with your feet on the floor, and then with your heels still on the floor, slowly lift your toes until you can feel a comfortable stretch in your leg muscles.  Repeat 20 times.

7.  Stretch Your Neck.

Stretching your neck will release tension in your neck and shoulder area and increase strength.  Start by tipping your head forward until your chin touches your chest to stretch the back of your neck.  Next, tip your head to each side, leading with the ear to the shoulder.  Hold each stretch for 3 seconds.  Repeat 10 times.

8.  Lift Your Knees.

Knee lifts will strengthen your thighs.  From a sitting position, raise your knee so that the back of your thigh is 2-3 inches off the chair.  Hold it for 3-5 seconds, then place it back down.  Repeat 10 times, then switch to the other leg.

9. Raises Your Arms.

Arm raises will stretch your arms, shoulders, and back.  Place your arms at your sides from a sitting or standing position, then slowly bring them up, pausing for 3 seconds when they are extended out, then continue to lift them straight above your head, pausing for another 3 seconds when they are straight up.  Slowly return them to your sides and repeat 10 times.

10. Squat at Your Chair.

Stand with your feet apart, in front of a chair. Raise your arms, then squat down slowly in front of your chair. As you slowly move down to your chair, slowly return to a standing position. Chair squats help strengthen your hamstring muscles, as well as other key muscle groups.

In addition to these easy exercises, you can take daily walks, swim laps at the pool, or participate in senior group exercise classes like yoga or low impact aerobics at a local gym.  Staying active will lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia, stroke, and other debilitating diseases and improve your overall quality of life.  For more information on other areas of healthcare, follow the Avidity Medical Design Blog.

10 Easy Exercises That You Can Do At Work

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Working at your desk all day can put extra stress on your body.  Because of this, it’s important to stay fit while you’re working at your desk all day.  There are plenty of easy, beneficial exercises that you can do while you’re sitting at your desk, or working in the office. Here are 10 easy exercises you could do when you are at work.

1.  Do Some Head Lollers 

When you’re working behind a computer all day, your head and neck could become stiff.  Loosen them by letting your head loll over so that the left ear nearly touches your shoulder.  Use your hand to press your head a little lower for 10 seconds.  Repeat the same exercise using your right ear.

2.   Try Some Victory Stretches

This easy exercise is great for relieving stress and keeping your muscles from clenching up.  You could stay seated or stand up for this exercise.  Raise your hands up overhead in a V-shape and stretch high up.  Hold for 10 seconds.

3.   Do Wall Sits

This exercise is great for building strength and endurance while taking a phone call.  It’s also great for your back.  You will stand with your back against the wall, bend your knees and slide your back down the wall until thighs are parallel to the floor.  Sit and hold this position for 15 seconds.

4.   Clench Your Muscles

A muscle strengthening exercise that you can do while sitting or standing.  All you have to do is tighten your buttocks for five seconds, relax and repeat 15 times.  If you do this exercise regularly, it could help tone your muscles.

5.  Squat at Your Printer or Your Fax Machine

Try doing this exercise when you are standing at your printer and waiting for something to print, or standing at your fax machine and sending a fax or receiving a fax.  Squatting is great for strengthening the thighs and buttocks.  Stand with your feet together, bending the knees slightly until your thighs are parallel to the ground.  Hold this position for five seconds and then release it.  Repeat this exercise. Do 4-6 repetitions.

6.  Raise Your Legs While Sitting

This exercise is great for adding strength to your legs and abdomen.  Try doing this while sitting down on a conference call and nobody’s watching.  Straighten your leg while sitting upright in your seat.  Hold it in place for 10 seconds.  Repeat with the other leg and then do this 15 times for each leg.

7.  Do Some Chair Dips

These are easy exercises you can do to strengthen your core and arms.  Be sure you’re using a chair that doesn’t roll away.  Scoot up to the front edge of the chair, extend your legs out in front of you and place your hands on the edges of the chair behind you.  Use your core and arms to raise your body up and down.  Repeat this exercise 15 times.

8.  Raise Your Leg While Hovering

Similar to raising your legs while sitting, raising your legs while hovering helps strengthen your abdomen.  The only difference is that you will be raising both of your legs at the same time, instead of raising each leg one at a time.  Hold this position as long as you can and then release it.

9.  Do the “Leaning Plank Exercise”

This is another one of our favorite easy exercises you could do in the break room.  Just lean against a wall using your forearms for support.  Hold for as long as you can.

10.  Hug Your Knees

Lift your leg up with a bent knee and grab it with your arms.  Hold for 5-10 seconds.  Repeat on the other leg.  This exercise is great for strengthening your knees.

For more easy exercises you could at your desk, be sure to follow the Avidity Medical Design Blog. 

To take an online healthcare course, visit Avidity Medical Design Academy.