Top Tips on Staying Mobile Whatever Your Age!
We all want to be able to keep moving freely and easily - whatever our age.
According to statistics, every year there are over thirty seven million falls globally that are severe enough to require medical attention!
If we don't want to be one of those statistics, we need to make a plan to keep moving...
We share some top tips on how to achieve this!
Walking
One of the simplest ways to keep mobile is walking, having an important impact on your whole body - and your brain too. Just one thousand steps per day will make a difference. All regular movement will keep the blood flowing to the muscles and joints. Remember to use it or lose it!
Standing on one leg each day
We have written about this before here!
Make sure you are next to something soft like a bed or a sofa before you start. Stand on one leg and time how long you can balance for without putting the other foot down. When your other foot touches the ground, time is up! Try to aim to balance for thirty seconds without flailing and wobbling is a great start.
Over time, simply spending more time balancing on one leg will be very helpful especially if you can work it into your daily routine - brushing your teeth, putting on your socks and shoes or attempting to stand rather than sitting down.
Squatting for a longer life
While we all squat regularly - for example every time we sit down or stand up - our ability to squat helps to keep us ticking over for longer. Sit as deep as you can into your squat, seeing how low you can go with your heels flat on the floor. If you find you need a little support, hold on to something for assistance.
Complete as many squats as you can in one go without stopping, taking note of how many you can do and then rest for a couple of minutes. Aim to improve the number of squats you can complete as well as how long you can hold a deep squat. This is a great way to strengthen your lower body mobility.
How about a push up on the stairs?
You might not realize that you do not have to start from the ground to do "push ups".
You can introduce an incline by making sure your shoulders are higher than your feet while keeping your feet on the ground, making movement much easier. The more upright you are, the less intense.
Place your hands on a wall, a kitchen worktop or the stairs. Over time, as you get stronger and more confident with the movement, you can progress on to lower structures such as a lower step.
In conclusion!
While ten squats or push ups now and then may not seem like a lot be aware that simply repeating ten repetitions, three times a day, quickly adds up.
If you can a pause in the bottom position, you will work wonders on building and maintaining your flexibility too!
SOURCES:
https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/maintaining-mobility-and-preventing-disability-are-key-living-independently-we-age
Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.