Keep your body in tip-top shape through isolation by following these easy exercises that can be done from the comfort of your home. 

Has lockdown left your joints locked up? Stiffness and muscle weakness can quickly creep up on all of us, especially now, with lockdown restrictions keeping us all at home more.

For seniors, maintaining independence is closely linked to maintaining the muscle strength needed to safely manage daily functional movements. These are essential mobility tasks such as getting up from a chair (or the loo!), climbing stairs, getting out of bed or being able to get in and out of a car.

In all of these movements the core muscle groups used are calves, thighs and glutes – that’s your butt! So it’s important to maintain these as you age. Then you will always have a strong foundation, plus improved balance, bone health, muscle strength, flexibility and a reduced risk of falls.

The universal opinion of physiotherapists and fitness experts is that squats are one of the best exercises for these muscle groups. And you can practice squats anywhere, in just a few minutes each day. So there are no excuses! Just follow theguidelines below.

Safe squats for seniors

Choose something to help you balance, such as a sturdy chair. Stand behind the chair and with two hands hold on to the back of the chair for support. Position your feet hip distance apart, with toes facing forward. Lean slightly forward, then bend your knees to lower yourself into a squatting position – as if you are about to sit down. Pause for a few seconds at the lowest point of the squat, then push strongly and equally through both legs to return to a standing position. Repeat 10 times.

Calf raises for seniors

This exercise will also strengthen your legs, calves and ankles – making it a great stair exercise for seniors. Holding on to your chair, stand with your feet hip width apart and raise your heels off the floor so that you are standing on the balls of your feet. Then slowly lower your heels to the floor and repeat ten times. Then try raising one heel at a time, so that you are performing a ‘walking on the spot’ movement. Repeat ten times.

Check out these squat videos and other useful exercises online –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGpp-UrA2Zs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=23&v=Or_pkDFNTYM&feature=emb_logo

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/sitting-exercises/

Discover other great ways to stay active and connected with Feros Care’s Virtual Social Centre for fitness tips and a weekly calendar of online exercise classes such as Tai Chair, Strong Foundations and Forever Young. Talk to Feros Care to get started.

The material in this article is intended for general education and information, and is a guide only. It is not intended to replace professional advice from your GP or other medical professional. Please seek appropriate advice.