The process of ageing, while natural and inevitable, need not automatically mean sacrificing one’s ability to move freely or participate comfortably in daily activities. Mobility and balance exercises specifically designed for older adults can counteract the effects that ageing has on muscles, joints, and bones. By integrating regular exercise routines into their lives, seniors can encourage and embrace improved flexibility, pain reduction, enhanced balance, and increased levels of energy.
Forging a Steady and Balanced Lifestyle
As personal trainers, we thrive on helping others create lives filled with every aspect of wellness. We all strive toward functionality and independence in our later years; the ability to remain steady on our feet plays a leading role in maintaining mobility and a proper sense of balance. Sadly, research indicates that, by the age of 50, both balance and coordination begin to show signs of decline.
In order to maintain a sense of balance, multiple body parts must work together effectively: the central nervous system, inner ear, eyes and muscles/bones/joints. As bodies age, changes in physical presentation, including muscle strength, flexibility, bone density, and coordination, can significantly affect both balance and mobility.
However, by incorporating balance and mobility training into a daily/weekly routine, older adults can mitigate these risks by enhancing their ability to control and maintain the body’s position, whether static or dynamic in nature.
Lessening the Falls Risk
Each year, more than 25% of adults ages 65 or older suffer a fall. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emergency rooms treat approximately 3 million individuals for fall-related injuries each year. Falls can pose very serious health consequences as we age.
As the number one mobility problem experienced by older adults, falls –even the seemingly insignificant missteps – inevitably lead to fears of falling again. Often older people fear lacking the ability to get up once they have fallen; this in turn can lead to inactivity, which may cause additional health problems. One of the most important things trainers can do to help clients with mobility problems/fears of falling starts with encouraging physical activity. Any little daily movement offers the potential to strengthen bones and muscles, improve steadiness when walking, and ultimately prevent fractures.
The World Health Organization’s recommendations for older adults include performing activities that stimulate balance and mobility at least 3 days/week in order to reduce their fall risk. Current scientific evidence suggests that for individuals ages 50 and over, the inability to stand on one leg for at least 10 seconds strongly ties into one’s risk for premature death.
Causes of Balance Problems
As we grow older, a multitude of factors can combine to contribute to less-than-stellar balance capabilities. A decline in muscle mass and bone density may affect posture and gait. Similarly, inner ear disorders and vision problems can throw one’s balance off-course. Some sleep aids and hypertension medications may also elicit unsteadiness.
Certain bone-related health conditions, such as arthritis in the knees and hips, sometimes cause weakness that in turn leads to balance issues, says Aleksandra Kuta, PT, DPT, OCS, a physical therapist at HSS. Individuals who have successfully undergone joint replacement surgeries also may experience a loss of balance; new joints lack special cells, called proprioceptors, that help the brain determine the limbs’ place in space at any given moment. However, the brain boasts an incredible capacity to work around the loss of proprioceptors by drawing upon other senses, such as sight and touch. Most individuals dealing with this find they can hold onto—or even re-gain—balance through a program of regular targeted exercises.
Static versus Dynamic Balance
According to Dr. Kuta, physical balance comes in two distinct forms: static and dynamic. Static balance describes the ability of the body to remain upright while in a standing position; dynamic balance refers to how easily a body can move through space.
Although both forms of balance erode with age, some people experience the loss of one more strongly than the other, she says. One individual may have no issues with standing still or reaching for something on an overhead shelf, but might struggle to climb stairs or step off a curb without assistance.
Monitoring and Maintaining Mobility Safely
The changes that occur with ageing can sometimes reach the point of limiting a person’s ability to move around. Mobility issues include feeling unsteady while walking, or difficulty standing up from and extricating oneself out of bed or a chair. Common age-related conditions can likewise contribute to mobility problems, such as muscle weakness, joint problems, pain, disease, and compromised brain and nervous systems. Sometimes several mild problems occur as comorbidities, seriously affecting one’s mobility.
An effective balance and mobility training program for older adults should include a variety of exercises tailored to the client’s current health status and degree of fitness. While both balance and mobility training offer numerous benefits, personal trainers must approach these exercises with safety foremost in mind. Especially when working with older/potentially frail adults, trainers must pay attention not only to the selection of appropriate exercises but also adjusting each session’s intensity, frequency, and duration to align with the individual’s current physical condition. Knowing when to alter sequences as clients demonstrate progress over time comes with experience. This personalized approach ensures the exercises provide maximum benefit without putting the individual at risk of injury.
Designing a Balance and Mobility Training Program
When designing plans for working with a senior client demographic, trainers can focus on activating and strengthening the core as well as the muscles of the lower body. Below we offer a few key exercises designed to target these areas while still fitting the definition of “older adult friendly”
- Single-leg stance
- Tree pose
- Heel-toe raises
- Heel-to-toe walking
- Lateral leg raises
- Dead bug
- Sit-to-stand, hands-free
If clients show an interest in adding a group exercise class to their balance/mobility training, suggest that they consider either yoga or tai chi. A course designed for beginners will help foster an understanding of one’s body in space while also developing better balance and increased cognitive awareness.
Utilizing Functional Training in Daily Life
As trainers begin to cultivate a better understanding of the challenges many older adults face on a regular basis, they can assemble a program that incorporates all of the following key elements, designed to mimic activities of daily life ~
Strength Training: enhances the muscular support needed for tasks such as standing, walking, and climbing stairs. Better muscle strength leads to improved joint support.
Flexibility Exercises: crucial for preserving range of motion in joints, reducing stiffness, and preventing injuries. Enhance flexibility can foster the smooth, coordinated movements crucial for balance and stability.
Balance Exercises: significantly reduces the risk of falls.
Functional Training: exercises that mimic daily activities help improve performance of these tasks safely and efficiently. Consider including moves such as stepping over obstacles, reaching for items while maintaining balance, or navigating uneven surfaces.
Gait Training: focusing on stability, stride length, speed, and the ability to change directions smoothly helps to ensure that walking patterns remain as efficient/safe as possible.
Many older adults hope to maintain their mobility through low-impact cardiovascular exercises. If clients need a push in this direction, trainers can suggest brisk walking, stationary/trail cycling, and swimming/water aerobics classes.
The Final Stretch
No information on mobility/balance training would serve clients adequately without mentioning the importance of post-workout stretching. Here we present a few of the more popular gentle stretches to include at the end of a training session ~
- Neck Tilts/Turns: Gently tilt the head from side to side, then turn it to fully stretch the neck muscles.
- Shoulder/Arm Stretches: Extend one arm across the chest and gently press, then repeat on the other side.
- Quadriceps Stretch: Standing on one leg, grasp the opposite ankle and gently pull it towards the glutes.
Clients can begin by holding each stretch for 5-10 seconds, building on this over time as it suits their comfort levels.
By committing to regular mobility exercises, seniors can maintain their independence and look forward to an improved quality of life. The combination of stretching, strength training, balance exercises, and cardiovascular activities forms a total mind-body approach to senior mobility. With a trainer’s guidance and the client’s determination, these proactive steps can propel our older adult population toward a healthier, more independent future.
Related Courses
Senior Fitness Certification courses.
Mobility Certification Courses
