Low-Impact Exercise for Seniors: Protecting Arthritic Joints Through Daily Movement
Focusing on low-impact exercise for seniors, such as Tai Chi and resistance band exercises, allows you to stay active and healthy without putting excess strain on your joints and muscles. These low-impact exercises are perfect for arthritis support in aging.
Are you getting enough exercise as a senior? Studies from the CDC suggest that seniors need at least 150 minutes of exercise every week. Two and a half hours may sound daunting, but it's nowhere near as tough as you think!
For retirees in Tennessee, focusing on senior fitness in Knoxville is a breeze. The Cradle of Country Music is full of reasons to walk and adventure. Whether you're here for the Great Smoky Mountains or to enjoy the historic districts, there's something for everyone.
How can you make the most of your assisted living exercise programs? Read on for a quick overview of staying active as a senior.
What Is Low-Impact?
As you research exercises, you'll find terms referring to the impact of an exercise. The impact of an exercise isn't its effectiveness, but its toll on your body.
For example, weightlifting is considered a high-impact exercise. That's because the added weight and intense movements can harm your joints and bones, as well as pulling muscles.
Aerobic exercises are great examples of low-impact exercise for seniors. These exercises are ideal for seniors due to not having as severe a toll on the body.
What Is Aerobic Exercise?
Aerobic exercise is something you'll certainly come across as you research your workout regimen. According to the Cleveland Clinic, these exercises are designed to use your large muscle groups. They do so with repetitive, simple motions, focusing on activity and movement rather than resistance.
These exercises commonly include:
- Cardio, such as running and walking
- Meditative exercises and stretching
- Swimming and other water-based exercises
- In-place movements, like jumping jacks and push-ups
In short, these are low-impact workouts that blend in well with joint-friendly movement.
Pain-Free Movement Routines
What sort of exercises should you focus on for joint-friendly movement routines? One thing you'll want to consider first is what group you're exercising in.
You'll find that many groups and classes focus on low-impact exercise for seniors. These become a great way for you to tackle a second proverbial bird: loneliness.
Studies from Michigan Medicine show that 33% of seniors aged 50 and up experience loneliness and isolation. These awful feelings are easy enough to get rid of when you're exercising in a group!
To find exercise classes, we recommend checking out your local amenities. These amenities and events are a great way to find socialization opportunities.
Here are the best exercises for senior fitness in Knoxville.
Yoga and Chair Yoga
Yoga is a popular and effective choice for seniors and individuals of all ages. Yoga focuses on flexibility, balance, and stability. That makes it perfect for seniors who want to reduce their risk of a fall!
Yoga is also perfect for putting virtually no strain on your joints, depending on the pose you use. Yoga focuses on using different poses to remain otherwise stationary, stretching as you go.
Some seniors don't like the idea of moving to the floor for Yoga. In that case, we recommend looking into Chair Yoga!
As the name suggests, Chair Yoga is the same exercise, but using a chair for stability. Having something to hold onto helps you keep your balance more easily.
Tai Chi
Like the idea of Yoga, but want something with more movement to it? Tai Chi might be the artistic exercise for you!
Tai Chi is a style of meditative exercise that uses fluid, steady movements to help you build balance. These help you to stay mobile and moving without putting extra strain on your body.
The joint-friendly movement you use is also customizable. There are countless movements and motions in Tai Chi, so you can customize your routine and workout.
Gentle Strength Training
Some strength exercises still count as low-impact! These exercises are great for you to get your strength and stability upwithout hurting your joints or making your arthritis flare up.
There are also some bodyweight exercises that you may be able to do, depending on how severe your arthritis is. Exercises like the following are all great:
- Planks
- Wall planks
- Wall push-ups
Speak to your medical professional or local trainer to see what works best for you. If you work out too hard, you may make your arthritis worse! It's also important to focus on a healthy diet while strength training.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Exercise Alone?
That depends on what exercise you're doing. Simple yoga poses and Tai Chi stretches are typically safe to perform alone. Still, always consider your personal limitations.
If you're worried about your balance, even simple exercises are often dangerous. It's always more important to be safe!
You also run the risk of making mistakes and not having anyone there to help you catch them. If you're exercising alone, make sure it's with exercises that you've mastered.
How Do I Improve My Exercise Intensity?
That depends on your exercises. For some exercises, adding weighted bands to wear can make them more intense. Others may require you to do more reps, or to do the same reps faster.
Another way is to focus on strength training for a larger portion of your exercise. Strength training is more intense and difficult than the average aerobic exercise.
Consider adding exercise bands along with your weighted bands. Resistance bands are excellent for providing you with greater difficulty without putting excess strain on your body.
Understanding Low-Impact Exercise for Seniors
Finding the right low-impact exercise for seniors means considering your preferences, limitations, and goals. Stick to group-focused Yoga and Tai Chi if you're dealing with balance issues or if you want overall wellness. Otherwise, speak to your medical professional to see what works best for you.
Here at The Pointe at Lifespring, we know how much effort goes into your daily life and wellness. We're proud to offer our Peake Fitness Center to accommodate you at all levels of fitness, as well as an outdoor garden area where you can practice light cardio. Contact us today to see how we can help you on your way to wellness!