According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Millions of American adults aged 65 years and above fall every year, and falls are the major cause of death and injury for senior citizens. With such statistics, finding balance in all aspects of your life is crucial. The elderly population in the society grapples with various problems, which adversely impact their capacity to stay steady.
Chronic conditions like Parkinson’s disease, Arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Cardiovascular disease can affect their ability to move freely and stay balanced. It is such unsteadiness that normally leads to falls and consequently, injuries. Apart from chronic conditions, other reasons make senior citizens prone to falls. This includes a more sedentary lifestyle, adverse effects of certain medications, and a decline in physical fitness and impaired vision.
Luckily, life-changing falls can be prevented by improving your balance. Balance exercises, along with strength workouts, can reduce falls by helping you to maintain and control your body’s position, whether you are stationary or moving. Read on to find several simple exercises that you can do to maintain and improve balance without leaving your chair.
How to Improve Balance for Seniors Using Chair
Believe it or not, you can improve your balance while sitting on a chair. And it can be an excellent balance exercise for senior citizens too. Chair exercises are particularly effective for older adults because they provide extra support, improve stability, enhance the range of motion, and can be completed without using any extra equipment besides a chair.
Chair balancing exercises work on your lower back, legs, and core muscles. Such lower-body strength workouts can help improve your balance. While balancing workouts can be daunting at times, consistent effort will make them simpler. Gradually increase the number of repetitions as the workouts become easier. You can hire an experienced personal trainer, particularly when you are first getting started.
What Exercises Improve Balance?
Exercise routines are crucial at all stages of life, but particularly as you grow older. Ramping up balance exercises is vital in your senior years since physical activity can enhance your flexibility and minimize the risk of some chronic health conditions. Without further ado, here are some exercises to improve balance that you can do using a chair only as listed below:
- Single limb stance
- Clock reach
- Back leg raises
- Side leg raise
- Toe lifts
- Shoulder rolls
Balance Exercises for Seniors with Pictures
As stated earlier, falls are the leading causes of death and injury for older people in America. But you don’t have to become a victim of falls and slips. By doing simple exercises each day, you can improve your balance and strength, making you feel more confident and tall when walking. If you have not maintained a workout program over the years or you are battling the effects of chronic pain due to health condition or injury, here are some balance exercises that you can do without leaving your chair:
1. Single-Leg Calf Raises
1. Single-Leg Calf RaisesCalf raises can improve your mobility and strength via the lower leg and be conducted while sitting down on a chair. Here’s how you can do them:
- Sitting tall on your chair with feet on the floor about hip-distance apart, engage your core muscles, and look straight forward.
- Begin with the right foot and get your heel off the ground as high as possible while engaging your calf when performing this workout. Lower the heel back to the floor and repeat the procedure like ten times.
- Repeat the procedure using your left leg.
- Conduct three sets of ten repetitions each.
2. Seated Hip Marches
2. Seated Hip MarchesIf you need to improve your strength and mobility via the hips or require a modified option for doing a cardiovascular exercise, seated hip marches are a perfect choice. Here are some tips you need to perform this balance exercise:
- Sit upright on your sturdy chair, with your feet hip-distance apart on the floor.
- Grasp the edges of your chair with your hands and engage your abdominal muscles to make sure your torso remains tall.
- Raise your left leg with your knee bent as if you are performing a high-knee march.
- Lower your right foot slowly to the floor.
- Repeat the procedure using the right leg.
3. Balancing Wand
This balance exercise for seniors can be performed without leaving your chair. You will require a cane or stick for this exercise. A broomstick works perfectly for this; remove the head of the broom before you begin.
Hold the bottom of your stick so that it is flat on the palm of your hand. This balance exercise aims to maintain the stick upright for as long as possible. Change hands to improve the balance of both sides of your body.
4. Shoulder Rolls
4. Shoulder RollsThis is another simple balance exercises for senior citizens that you need to try. You can perform it seated without leaving your chair. Here’s how you do it.
Gently rotate your shoulders up to the ceiling, then backward and downwards. After that, roll them forward and downwards as you did in the previous step.
Simple Balance Exercises for Seniors to Reduce Stiffness & Pain
Six moves can help to improve your balance without even leaving your chair. Such moves include:
- Breathing into your Belly
- Nod your Noggin
- Turn your Head
- Cross the midline
- Twist and Shout
- Rock your body
These simple movements will help you reduce stiffness, alleviate pains and aches, increase mobility and improve your balance. If you want to learn more about reducing pain, stiffness, and improving your balance, download this free guide now: “6 Simple Moves To Reduce Stiffness And Pain” to know more about how these simple moves will preserve your balance and keep you young forever!
