Staying physically active and exercising regularly may help avoid or delay disease and disability. However, older adults are sometimes wary about exercising. Some are afraid to exercise because they think they will get too tired or may suffer injuries. Yet older adults hurt their well-being more by not exercising rather than exercising.
To stay healthy and independent you should do strength exercises, balance exercises, and stretching exercises. Strength exercises help build muscle and increase your metabolism; a higher metabolism will keep your weight and blood sugar in check.
Here are a few useful tips to avoid injury: don't hold your breath while exercising. Use smooth and steady movements to poise your body. Avoid thrusting movements. Breathe out while you lift or push weights and don’t forget to breathe in as you relax.
Balance exercises help build leg muscles and prevent falls. While doing balance exercises, try to hold onto a table or chair for balance with just one hand. Then slowly lift one leg to side, eight inches out to the side. Keep your back and legs straight and hold position. Slowly lower leg and repeat with other leg. You must keep your back and knees straight throughout exercise.
Hip flexion strengthens hip muscles. Hip flexion is important for good balance. Use ankle weights if you need to. You must stand straight and hold onto a table or chair. Then slowly bend one knee toward chest, but without bending waist or hips. Hold this position for one second before you slowly lower your leg.Repeat this exercise with your other leg.
Before starting stretching exercises, warm up by doing some easy walking or pumping your arms first. It is normal to feel a mild discomfort or a mild pulling sensation. You shouldn’t bounce into a stretch – try making slow steady movements instead.
Triceps stretches lengthen muscles muscles from the back of the upper arm. Try holding one end of a towel in your hand. Then raise and bend that arm to drape towel down back. Keep the arm in this position and hold onto the towel. Reach behind your lower back and seize the bottom end of towel with the other hand, and climb it progressively higher up the towel; that also pulls your right arm down. Continue as close as you can comfortably go. Don’t forget to reverse positions.
Endurance exercises include walking, jogging, swimming, raking etc. Build up your endurance gradually. Stretch after your activities, while your muscles are still warm; Drink water to avoid dehydration. Endurance exercises should not make you breathe too hard so you can't talk, and should not cause chest pain or dizziness.