for eMaxHealth(NC) - It's important to stay fit in the long winter months but it's also a time to exercise caution. Death rates among older people can go up by as much as 60% in cold weather.
If you're older and worried about harsh conditions outside, don't give up. Here are 10 exercises you can do at home.
"Finding a few minutes for these exercises will help maintain cardiac health, strength and balance," says Liz Inness, physiotherapist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Canada's largest provider of adult rehabilitation services.
Flexibility
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Circle your arms slowly to stretch the upper body.
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Sit down and extend your knee straight out. Then, pump your ankle up and down to stretch leg muscles.
Strength
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Stand at the kitchen counter and do small knee bends.
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Do sit-to-stand exercises. Simply sit down then stand up.
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From a standing position, go up on your toes, then down again.
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March on the spot.
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Do side leg raises while standing at the kitchen counter.
Balance
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Balance on one leg (Do this near something you can grab onto if necessary).
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Tap step. Move your right foot forward, to the side, to a position behind you, and back to the starting position. Do the same with the left foot.
Endurance
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Keep walking! Apartment hallways and indoor shopping malls are excellent places for walking.
"When exercising, elderly people should feel a moderate sense of effort, but nothing more," adds Inness. "Start with a few repetitions of each exercise, and build up gradually."
Anyone with health problems should check with a health professional before starting a fitness program.
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- News Canada
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