What indoor exercises do you recommend for seniors in quarantine?
Stretching Exercises
It is imperative to warm up your muscles prior to performing the following exercises for seniors. Stretching exercises can be performed indoors and are essential to prevent injuries by warming up your muscles. Stretching exercises should never be rushed.
Upper Body Workouts
Arm Raises
Performing arm raises at home is an excellent exercise for elderly individuals since it can be performed standing or sitting. Lightweight is all you need. To do arm raises:
• Hold the weight at shoulder height and keep your feet flat on the ground.
• Lift the weights to shoulder height.
• Do two sets of ten raises.
Lower Body Workouts
Knee Lifts and Extensions
As another exercise you can perform in a sitting position, knee extensions can enhance your balance, especially for elderly individuals at risk of falling.
• Maintain a straight back and proper posture while sitting in a chair.
• Bend your knees slowly as you stretch your legs.
• Then hold the position for a few seconds, then return your legs to the bent knee position.
The legs can be lifted simultaneously or one at a time. Whichever exercise you perform, repeat it 10 times on each leg.
Chair Squats
Chair squats are so-called because the squatting movement will mimic anything you’d do while sitting down. Exercises such as squats strengthen your legs and core at the same time. However, it is not a safe exercise for all seniors, particularly knee problems. So, if older individuals have knee problems, they should seek medical advice before performing squats. A chair should be used for squats.
As a guide, you can do squats properly with it. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart with your shoulders and chest upright. Bend your knees slowly like you are going to sit down. If necessary, you can sit lightly on the chair, but take a moment to hold the position. Then, rise again.
