Exercises to fortify elderly back, neck, and other areas
In the golden years of life, maintaining mobility and reducing the risk of falls becomes increasingly important. A variety of exercises, specifically targeting the foot and ankle, can help older adults achieve this goal.
Exercise programs, such as those focusing on the foot and ankle, can significantly reduce the risk of falling for older adults, as falls become more common with age. One such exercise is the ankle stretch, which can be performed using a robust chair with no arms.
According to a 2018 study, the hamstrings, a crucial muscle group in the lower back, lose muscle mass and become stiffer with age. Stretching these muscles can help counteract this effect. To stretch the hamstrings, one can lie on their back with both legs and arms flat on the floor. Bringing the right leg into a bent knee position, slowly raise the left leg while gently pulling on the leg behind the calf muscle. This stretch can be performed with both feet at the same time for a double-leg ankle stretch.
Ankle stretches can also help the ankles feel less stiff when getting out of bed in the morning and can help older adults reduce their risk of falling. Additionally, stretching may help improve mobility as individuals age, facilitating important daily motions such as rotating the neck to check for traffic while reversing in a car or reaching down to tie shoelaces.
Research from 2022 suggests that flexibility in the upper and lower joints decreases by roughly 6 degrees with every decade of life for individuals over age 55 years. To combat this loss of flexibility, a variety of exercises are recommended.
Recommended stretching exercises for older adults to improve mobility and reduce fall risk focus on flexibility, balance, and strength across major joints and muscle groups, especially hips, legs, shoulders, and back. Key practices include hip flexor and hip mobility stretches, leg strengthening and balance exercises, upper body stretches, back and neck stretches, and a calf stretch.
General recommendations for older adults include stretching two to three times per week after warming up muscles with light walking or endurance exercises. It is essential to avoid overstretching, use a chair or stable support for balance during standing stretches, and maintain regular breathing during stretches. Consulting a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise regimen is also recommended, especially if there are recent surgeries or chronic conditions.
These exercises collectively improve range of motion, muscle elasticity, joint lubrication, and balance, which together reduce stiffness, enhance mobility, and significantly lower the risk of falls in older adults. For more evidence-based information and resources for healthy aging, visit our dedicated hub.
In 2019, approximately half of people over 65 years of age experienced back pain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Back stretches can help facilitate motions that put pressure on the back, such as bending down to pick up an object, as the risk of back pain increases with age.
The ankle stretch exercise is repeated three to five times on each side or foot. Older adults should have a dedicated stretching session two to three times every week. The neck stretch can help loosen the neck and involves relaxing the shoulders, dropping the head forward, bringing the head back to the starting position, and moving the right ear to the right shoulder and the left ear to the left shoulder.
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