Mobility is one of the largest overlooked staples of health and wellness. Why is it overlooked? Because too often within our fitness plans, individuals will only focus on one area; therefore, others may decline to the point where they are a detriment on mobility and an individuals independence.
Safety
I am starting with safety as it is most often overlooked. I have worked with numerous clients that have had their ability to be independent jeopardized because of a fall. Examples include tripping over something left out, missing a chair, or slipping on ice. This has led to head injuries such as concussions; broken bones such as wrists, ankles, hips; and unfortunately, depending on the severity of the fall may prevent you from continuing to live in your home. This may be temporary, such as a stint in a rehab facility, or could become your new normal if an assisted living facility is deemed the best fit. AND if you are already living in an assisted living facility, it can make be a huge difference the level of support you require both emotionally and financially. If you are interested in a in-home assessment for you, or for a loved one, please reach out at the Contact Us page below.
Balance
I decided to touch on this one next as it pairs well with the safety component. The wonderful part about incorporating balance into your regular exercise routine is it requires little to no equipment, and can be done just about anywhere. For more advanced balance exercises, safety should be held in the highest regard so ensure that there is someone helping your with your balance exercises such as a functional aging specialist, or family member who is able to react to catch you if need be. For basic balance exercises these can be incorporated throughout the day such as doing the dishes, brushing your teeth, or at the start of an exercise routine. One great piece of equipment that is very cost effective and does not take up much room is a foam pad. Use the link below to see the one that I use in both my business and every day life.
Muscle Gain
The idea around resistance training, or strength training can be intimidating to a lot of people. Some are afraid of becoming “bulky,” while others either have no idea where to start, or are afraid of injury. If you are one of these people, you are in the right place as I am here to calm your fears, and provide you with the information to get you started. Not only maintaining, but having a focus on growing muscle strength is so important, especially for those over the age of 55. This loss of muscle mass is referred to as Sarcopenia- age related decline in muscle mass. Did you know, on average, muscle mass declines 30% from age 50-70, and this decline accelerates after the age of 80. This loss of muscle components includes muscle endurance, strength, and power. These all play an important role in ones ability to maintain their mobility and independence. Are you ready for the good news? If you are just starting out and recognize the importance of having a regular fitness regimen, you can start today at home with body weight exercises.
Flexibility
I can think back to my collegiate athlete days and warming up before a big game, holding each stretch for a total of 10 seconds (if I was lucky). Unfortunately, how our body moves and functions is much different in our 20’s than it is in our 50s, 60s, 70, and beyond. Upper body flexibility is important for activities such as getting dressed, and lower body flexibility is important to maintain a normal walking stride, and bending and lifting. The aches and pains that people accept as the normal part of aging can not only be avoided, but can be reversed if the right interventions and consistency is put in place. If you are interested in a more extensive stretching routine, please reach out for an in-home consultation. If you are not local to Colorado, don't write yourself off yet. We offer online one on one video services to expand our reach.
Mobility/Cardiovascular Endurance
Last but not least, one factor to mobility, is being mobile! Now this may seem like common sense, but the act of walking not only can affect our cardiovascular system, but it can also affect our gait and all of the areas previously mentioned. If there is one thing that you implement today into your daily life, I hope that is is to add movement, in whatever way works for you. If that is starting out with a daily walk, great. If its pushing yourself in your wheelchair, wonderful. If that is putting on your favorite song and dancing like no ones watching, fantastic. Just get yourself moving! We have become a highly sedentary nation, going from our beds, to the couch, to the kitchen table, back to the couch, and bed (with the odd bathroom break in there). The best way to ensure that you maintain or improve your mobility, is to get moving! Our bodies are absolutely amazing, and we were made to use them how they were intended. We were not given 600 muscles in the human body to have them be inactive. Move, connect, breathe, and experience your body how its meant to be experienced!
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