Physical Therapy in Astoria, NY

As we get older it is important to continue to exercise and stay healthy, so hopefully we can be around a little while longer. By exercising regularly, you can help prevent diabetes, heart disease and reduce pain that could be related to arthritis. Seniors who exercise and improve their balance, endurance, flexibility and strength can help stay healthier and in good shape. There are a variety of exercises that are safe for seniors to perform, and will help them stay in good shape too.

Seniors looking to stay healthy should try out aerobics as a workout. It will help them reduce their blood pressure and cholesterol, plus it will burn calories. They can start with a short cardio routine, and build up from their as their endurance and energy levels increase. A good way to up endurance is a faced paced walk, or an activity such as tennis.

Strength training is another good idea for a senior trying to stay active to perform. By performing an exercise such as arm raises with light weights or elastic bands, the seniors will be building muscle mass over time. They can also try side arm raises and front arm raises as well. Bicep curls are a good exercise as they use muscles involved in everyday activities, and can keep a senior strong, and independent. They will be able to lift things on their own, with no strain or pain if exercising regularly.

Another activity safe for seniors just starting out is the practice pushup. It’s understandable if you have not worked out in sometime, so this is a good primer to get your body used to the way it will feel when performing a real push up. Standing in front of a wall, the user will push up against the wall and then push off of it, familiarizing themselves with how the muscles feel and move when exerting force. Leg raises will also help strengthen the leg muscles such as the quads and hamstrings.

Balance exercises are very helpful to seniors as well, as a person gets older, they tend to lose muscle mass and have trouble with balance that often leads to falls and broken bones. By performing exercises such as the chair stand, where you sit down and get up without the use of your hands, it will help strengthen the legs and help with balance. Another helpful exercise is the toe stand, where the user stands behind a chair and slowly gets on their tip toes, and slowly releases back to their regular stance.

Anything low impact on the body will do good for an older person, whether it be water aerobics, swimming, or Pilates. The idea is to strengthen the body over time, so starting low impact will help you get your footing. And then you can move on to weights and more cardio.

Getting older can be tough, you slow down, can not move as fast and might feel dependent on others. If you start exercising, it won’t stop you from aging, but it will help you retain the strength you’ve always had, as well as maybe even making you stronger than before, able to live independently, and safely.

Did you know that you have Direct Access to Physical Therapy? No referral is needed. We offer the best Physical Therapy on Long Island where you can get help from our trusted and expert Physical Therapists. We have several locations on Long Island including Massapequa, Valley Stream, Wantagh and Lindenhurst. To start your Physical Therapy evaluation, call Advance Physical Therapy and The Physical Therapy Alliance at (516) 568-4444.