Recovering from an injury is typically a time-consuming and very long process, which is especially true for seniors aged more than 60 years old. Elderly adults generally heal slower than younger people after an injury. Whether it is an illness or injury, conventional wisdom convinces us that the elderly we are, the longer it takes to recover. Fortunately, researchers have found out that seniors who exercise regularly are likely to recover faster from a disabling illness or injury. They underscore a crucial message; it’s never too late to leverage the benefits of exercise for seniors.
Injuries are risky for everyone, but for seniors particularly, recovery by age can be more challenging. Most elderly adults tend to take care of themselves and just focus on regaining their mobility after an injury. What such seniors and their families don’t understand is that there are helpful tips you can use to recover fully and get back on track easily. Training with an injury rehabilitation specialist can help seniors to recover fast mentally, emotionally, and physically. This post will discuss everything you need to know about how seniors can recover faster from injuries through regular exercise.
How to Recover from Injury Faster at Old Age
Recovering after a disabling injury is a very long process that normally takes a lot of patience, strength, flexibility, and time which is especially true for falls-the major cause of injuries among elderly adults. Senior citizens are likely to be hospitalized after a fall, and it’s crucial to remember that falls contribute to more than 85% of all fractures among people aged 60 years and above.
Here are some of the best ways that can help seniors recover from injury faster:
Understanding Your Injury
Having a clear understanding of your injury is key to recovering faster from an injury. This will help you know how long it will take to heal completely, the kind of exercise you can do to speed up recovery, and what activities to avoid. Any experienced physiotherapist should be able to give an accurate diagnosis of your injury.
Reducing pain, restoring functionality, and improving your overall quality of life should be your priority when recovering from injury, which is why you should consult a physiotherapist. Regardless of your physical state currently, training with an injury rehabilitation specialist can assist you to achieve more, so opt for restorative strength training services. These can assist you to retain your independence and achieve your goals, which are advantages you should not overlook.
Remain as Active as Possible
Staying as physically active as possible is crucial after a fall that could lead to an injury, so do your best by remaining active and you will see the difference. If you want to bounce back quicker from an injury, you must keep your cardiovascular fitness up while recovering. You should begin with low-impact, low-intensity activities such as brisk walking, which will be more than sufficient to keep your body moving fast. There are many other exercises you can do when recovering from injury to improve your muscle strength and balance, so try them and get back to your feet more quickly.
Focus Your Mind to Recovering from Injury
Let’s face it, the process of recovering after an injury isn’t entirely physical. Numerous emotional and mental techniques can assist you to recover with more success, and the initial one includes meditation. It can minimize your stress levels and even boost your immune system, which is why you should give it your best shot. Surrounding yourself with people who care and love you is also important, as well as checking your mood and planning everyday activities that make you look and feel good.
Impact of Aging and the Healing Process
Although senior citizens can recover from injuries, they have a slower recovery process, due to various factors. When it comes to recovery from injury, it’s more complicated in senior citizens than in younger people. Although that sounds a bit discouraging, the truth is that our bodies tend to change as we get older. However, it’s crucial to understand that even simple falls, like walking off a curb, can cause severe injuries in senior citizens. It is important that everyone, from caregivers to physicians, is ready to deal with such problems in the most efficient way. Some of the age-related conditions that can reduce the recovery by age for senior citizens such as delayed inflammatory responses, diabetes, and reduced skin elasticity.
Strength Training during Recovery
Falls are one of the scariest injuries that most senior citizens face. A suddenly twisted ankle or muscle strain can be frustrating for seniors striving hard to maintain their overall health and physique. Age-related injuries can be a huge setback to your fitness goals, but a well-thought-out recovery from injury plan to help you regain your mobility.
An injury affects your ability to attain your health and fitness goals, but some strength training exercises can speed up your recovery from injury.
Here are some of the best equipment-free strength training exercises that can help facilitate faster recovery after an injury:
1. Wall Push-Ups: This strength training workout for senior citizens is a revised version of conventional floor push-ups. Find a blank wall and put your hand’s arm’s length away, facing the wall lean your body forward and put your palms flat against the wall about shoulder-width apart. You can repeat the process up to 10 times as you feel it is more challenging.
2. Brisk Walks: If you are not prepared for high-intensity exercises, brisk walking can be an excellent option. You can begin by taking brisk walks in your neighborhood. As you start recovering from injury, you can proceed to more intense workouts later.
Train with an Injury Rehabilitation Specialist in Nashville TN Today
If you want to regain your mobility and active lifestyle after an injury, PJ Olsen, an Original Strength™ Certified Pro here at Restorative Strength LLC will be glad to help. Whether you are facing an acute injury after a tragic accident or medical condition, she will create a perfect environment for the faster recovery from injury that you deserve.
If you need injury rehabilitation training services in Murfreesboro TN, schedule a no-obligation appointment for more information about our strength training exercises for seniors today.
