How to Exercise With Limited Mobility

We’re all well aware of the benefits of physical exercise by now. No matter what physical condition you’re in or how old you are, exercise can have a significant positive impact mentally, emotionally, and physically.

It’s recommended that adults aged 18 to 65 should do at least 150-300 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week. The same recommendation applies to those over the age of 65, though exercise that emphasises functional balance and strength training is specifically encouraged. This is to enhance functional capacity and prevent falls.

Although the unwelcome effects of aging may discourage you from exercising or limit your options when it comes to the types of activities you can do, this doesn’t have to be the case. This blog from Alfix Stairlifts provides a few ideas to help you get stuck into exercising with limited mobility.

Strength training

Strength training is a great way to strengthen the major muscles groups that are essential for performing everyday activities. That isn’t all it can do though! It may also do the following:

• Protect bone health and muscle mass that can decrease with age
• Improve blood pressure
• Help with chronic disease management
• Improve coordination, balance, and posture
• Reduce the risk of heart disease or hypertension

Strength training has been found to reduce the risk of falls. This is great news, as falls can pose very serious physical health issues for older people and contribute to loss of confidence and independence.

If you cannot stand for long periods of time or are restricted to a wheelchair, you can still do strength training exercises. Ones you could do while seated include arm circles or arm lifts using your own body weight, leg or arm exercises using weights and resistance bands, or core-engaging exercises using your own body weight.

Stretching

There are countless stretches that can be done no matter what your mobility limitations are.

Stretching boasts a number of benefits:

• Improves performance in physical activities
• Increases flexibility, range of motion, and blood flow to muscles
• Helps heal and prevent back pain
• Improves posture

Some examples of stretches for people with limited mobility include stretching your arms across your chest, rotating your hips, stretching out your legs, stretching your shoulders, and rotating your neck.

Cardio training

Cardiovascular exercise has many benefits, such as:

• Lowering blood pressure
• Reducing chronic pain, asthma, and risk of falling
• Regulating weight and blood sugar
• Strengthening heart and lungs
• Boosting immune system
• Aiding sleep

Whether you are in a wheelchair or have limited mobility, many cardio exercises can be modified to suit your needs. For example, you could do activities such as boxing, playing basketball whilst in a wheelchair. Even wheeling around a park at a brisk pace can be extremely beneficial. Swimming is another great option, as it takes the pressure off your joints and allows you to get your heart rate up comfortably, safely, and entirely at your own pace. Alfix Stairlifts provide high-quality stairlift installation throughout the Midlands. Whether you’re in need of bespoke stairlifts in Shrewsbury or affordable stairlifts in Warwick, we’ve got you covered. Our team is committed to making your home as comfortable and as accessible as possible. For more information, call us on 01926 334848 or visit our website today.