After an operation, many people need to undergo some form of physical therapy. Seniors are, of course, no exception to this process. That being said, if you are a senior who needs physical therapy, you may not know where to start. A good place to begin is with physical therapy exercises for seniors that can be performed at home.
At Senior Health Care Solutions, we want to look out for all seniors regardless of whether or not they are staying at one of our facilities. For that reason, we have a few physical therapy exercises for seniors that can be tried at home. Check out these six exercises and start walking down the road to recovery!
1. Toe Lifts
To perform toe lifts, stand straight up and raise yourself using only the strength of your toes. Doing so will improve your balance and will get your heart rate up in a comfortable way. For more information about balance exercises, check out our list of exercises that can help you improve your balance. ← link this to the balance exercises blog from August
2. Calf Stretches
Try to get your hands on a workout band to perform the most effective calf stretches. Stretch your legs out on the ground, wrap the band around one of your feet and pull back until you feel your calf stretching. If this proves difficult, or you do not have a band, simply try to reach out and touch your toes in the same starting position.
3. Shoulder Rolls
Shoulder rolls are one of the most straightforward physical exercises for seniors to perform without supervision and can be used to loosen the upper body effectively. Rotate your shoulder blades front and back from a standing position several times. This exercise is not overly stressful but should feel incredibly satisfying.
4. Back Leg Raises
To perform back leg raises, get down on your hands and knees and raise one of your legs. After holding the position for as many seconds as it is comfortable, put your other leg up in the same position. For added effect throughout your entire body, raise one of your arms up simultaneously with the opposite leg.
5. Marching in Place
One of the more fun physical therapy exercises for seniors is marching in place. As the name suggests, this activity consists of essentially walking in one spot at a consistent pace. Raise your knees as far as possible and try to make the most of this simple but effective exercise.
6. Sitting Calf Raises
For this exercise, sit on a chair with a sturdy back. From a sitting position, kick your legs out one at a time and try to stretch out your calves. If you can handle a more intense challenge, try to place some weight on your lap. Even without this added weight, sitting calf raises are a fantastic exercise to add to your physical therapy regimen.
Try Out These Physical Exercises for Seniors
Senior Health Care Solutions can help you through your recovery process by offering the very best physical therapy services in Northeast Pennsylvania. If you or a loved one would like to know more about the care we provide or how to perform any of the exercises we suggest, give us a call.
Leave a Reply