5 Health Risks And Senior Balance Exercises

Senior Balance Exercises For Healthier Lives

By Suzanne Stoke, Physical Therapist @ Exercise For Balance via www.exerciseforbalance.com

  Staying mobile and active safely is a critical ingredient for older adults and can be facilitated by first performing  senior balance exercises. Please see more information at http://www.exerciseforbalance.com/buy-now Medical scientists and healthcare professionals like doctors, physician assistants and physical therapists are seeing more and more debilitating side effects of inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle, especially with folks in the older population. As  physical activity declines among aging individuals, medical researchers are seeing many additional consequences to their health. For example, Rein Tideiksaar Ph.D., PA-C noted that aging individuals who are more and more inactive commonly suffer from:

Cardiovascular Declines

•    The heart, like any muscle in our body, decreases in size without regular activity. This can lead to a decrease in the ability of the heart to pump blood and circulation problems. This can result in low blood pressure and even heart attacks.

•    Muscle contraction helps blood circulate. Lack of muscle use slows down circulation, which can cause blood clots.

•    Reduced blood circulation may also lead to fluid type swelling (edema) in the lower legs during long periods of inactivity.

Respiratory Declines

•    Chest muscles become weakened. This results in less lung expansion and shallow breathing. The major risk here is pneumonia, as the ability to cough is weakened and secretions can build up in the lungs.

Musculoskeletal Declines

•    Muscles and bones become stronger when they are being used regularly. Even small periods of inactivity will result in muscle loss and decrease in bone strength (the risk of osteoporosis). Muscle weakness also affects balance; leg muscles are the first to become weak. This increases a person’s risk of falling.

Neurological  Declines

•    Lack of mobility can result in coordination and balance problems, which increases the risk of falling.

Cognitive Declines

•    Long periods of immobility can result in several psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, anger, and confusion.

Nutritional Declines

•    Immobility results in fewer calories being burned and poor appetite. As a result, dehydration and malnutrition/weight loss can occur.

Urinary Declines

•    Physical activity and gravity help to drain urine from the kidneys to the bladder. Inactivity can cause a build-up in urine in the kidneys. This increases the risk of kidney stones and urinary tract infection.

General Declines

Inactivity can trigger a series of subsequent diseases and problems that can produce further pain, disability, impaired quality of life, and fall risk (the ability to safely navigate a wide variety of environments requires balance, agility, and flexibility). The good news is that there is a way for older folks to stay active safely and minimize the consequences of immobility. Medical researchers have shown that older adults who practice senior balance exercises on a regular basis have improved stability skills and a reduced risk of falling when they are up moving around.

Senior Balance Exercises Improve Stability

  As we have seen, being inactive can lead to many health problems, but staying physically active with senior balance exercises can give a tremendous boost to your health. To develop necessary motivation to keep moving and to perform your stability routines consistently, you can  keep in mind certain intrinsic factors. One such example of intrinsic motivation factors  is to acknowledge the skill development of balance reactions. You can start with a basic steadiness routine and then notice a progression of skill advancement in your balance reactions by first performing a single leg stance exercise. In this equilibrium routine, you stand on one foot ( stand near a counter or table if you need to touch your hand down at any time) for about twenty seconds. When you first initiate this exercise,  you may have to touch your hand on to a stable object several times and you feel your ankles wobbling a bit. in time as you practice this steadiness routine every day, you will recognize an advancement in your balance abilities where you may not have to touch your hand down at any time, your ankles will be more steady and you will feel more confident with this exercise, leading to heightened motivation to continue your stability program. You can practice these and other senior balance exercises in the comfort of your own home by following along with the Exercise For Balance DVD.  

Senior Balance Exercises In The Exercise For Balance DVD

Learn balance exercises with the Exercise For Balance DVD

    To start moving safely,  get started on a course of the best balance exercises with the Exercise For Balance DVD. The healthcare provider recommended Exercise For Balance DVD is a high quality instructional DVD to use at home or in a group setting. The easy to understand and simple to follow Exercise For Balance DVD includes  a step by step series of the latest balance and strength exercises necessary to optimize senior fitness and to carry out basic daily activities like shopping, doing laundry,  walking, standing, cleaning house, stair climbing or to advance to more difficult pursuits like skiing, dancing, playing golf and hiking. In the  comprehensive Exercise For Balance DVD, you will learn how to improve stability, how to apply steadiness techniques and how to safely execute balance routines from a  qualified balance specialist --- licensed Physical Therapist---who has worked with balance and dizziness disorders for over 25 years. Get your copy of the Exercise For Balance DVD by clicking on the BUY NOW button

Move safely by starting balance exercises today with the Exercise For Balance DVD to improve balance and prevent falls.
For more information see http://www.mayoclinic.com/health-information/