Maintaining mobility as we age is crucial to our independence and quality of life. For many, staying active and mobile is a challenge, but it’s definitely doable with the right strategies in place.
Keep on reading till the end to find out 7 tips to help you or a loved one maintain mobility despite increasing age.
So, let’s begin!
The Importance Of Mobility
As we age, our bodies change. We lose muscle mass and bone density, and our joints may become less flexible. These changes can make it difficult to stay mobile, but it’s important to do everything we can to maintain our mobility.
Staying mobile helps us stay independent and active, both mentally and physically. It can also help reduce the risk of falls and injuries as well as improve our overall quality of life. Bonus tip: If you’ve recently suffered an injury, here are some tips to help you recover.
Numerous studies have also shown that a sedentary lifestyle can also significantly increase the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
That’s why it’s so vital to do everything you can to maintain your mobility as you age. Keep in mind that if you suffer from mobility issues even after following all the tips in this article, there are aged care centers like Kew Gardens that offer support and the necessary facilities to make sure you are managing them effectively.
7 Tips To Maintain Mobility
Here are our top 7 tips to help you maintain your mobility as you get older.
Get Regular Exercise And Stay Active
It’s no secret that regular exercise is one of the best things you can do to maintain your mobility as you age.
It helps strengthen your muscles and bones, improves your balance and coordination, and increases your range of motion.
Any type of physical exercise, if done properly, can boost your mobility. However, for those suffering from arthritis, swimming can be an especially effective form of exercise.
A swimming session in a warm pool can be both an enjoyable social occasion as well as a great way to relieve joint stiffness and pain for aged individuals with arthritis.
Additionally, because the water provides most of the support, it gives joints and muscles the ability to exercise without bearing much weight and makes movement a lot easier.
Practice Stretching
In addition to exercise, stretching can also help you maintain your mobility as you age.
Stretching helps lengthen your muscles and can reduce pain and stiffness, as well as help in muscle recovery and prevent injuries during your fitness journey.
Regular stretching also offers an increased range of movement in your joints and helps keep your body flexible even as you age.
If you’re not the biggest fan of stretching, try using a foam roller instead. Foam rolling is a form of self-massage that can help loosen tight muscles and improve range of motion, similar to how stretching works.
Keep A Healthy Weight
Carrying extra weight can put unnecessary strain on your joints and muscles, making it harder to stay mobile. This is why maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most effective things you can do to stay mobile and active as you age.
Eat Healthily
We all know the importance of having a healthy diet for overall health, but many fail to realize that it can also help us maintain our mobility.
Make sure to include plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet, and limit the number of pro-inflammatory processed foods and saturated fats.
Inflammation is a common issue faced by elderly people, and it can lead to excessive joint and muscle stiffness.
To keep inflammation at bay and facilitate joint and muscle health, try eating an anti-inflammatory diet that is rich in green veggies like spinach, nuts, berries, and fish.
Getting enough calcium and vitamin D in the form of supplements is also important for bone and joint health and can do wonders for your mobility.
Perform A Home Safety Audit
Falls are one of the biggest causes of mobility issues and disability among the aging population, and most falls and injuries seniors experience occur at home. By performing a home safety audit, you can recognize and fix/remove potential safety hazards in your or a loved one’s home.
At the very least, make sure to install handrails on stairs and in the shower, and make sure all rooms are well-lit.
Strengthen Your Muscles
Strengthening your muscles can also help with maintaining mobility. Strong muscles help support your joints, improve your balance, and make it easier to move around.
Luckily, you don’t need to become a dumbbell freak to do this. There are many safe ways to strengthen your muscles, including resistance training, yoga, and Pilates. Just be sure to have a conversation with your doctor before starting any new exercise program.
See A Doctor Regularly
Seeing your doctor on a regular basis can help you catch health problems before they become more serious.
Remember, what initially starts as a minor case of “a little difficulty in getting up” can quickly progress to become a much bigger problem requiring special mobility equipment.
If you start noticing mobility problems in yourself or a senior loved one, be sure to let your
doctors know as soon as possible, so they can help you find the right treatment on time.
The Takeaway
Making small changes in your lifestyle can go a long way in maintaining your mobility as you age.
Exercise, stretching, maintaining a healthy weight, and having a good diet will all help keep you moving. And conducting a home safety audit and staying up-to-date on your doctor’s appointments can help prevent problems down the road.
By following these tips, you can live a happy, active life well into your golden years.
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