![[For Seniors] Fun and Easy! Fall-Prevention Exercises for Older Adults](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ng8eb9k926c/sddefault.jpg)
[For Seniors] Fun and Easy! Fall-Prevention Exercises for Older Adults
As we age, the risk of falling increases due to declines in physical function and lack of exercise.
People may have trouble lifting their feet while walking, trip over small steps, or feel unsteady when initiating movements such as standing up or starting to walk.
In this article, we will introduce fall-prevention exercises and routines for older adults.
To prevent falls, it is important to continue exercises that rebuild lost muscle strength, with a focus on lower-body movements targeting the legs and hips.
Many fall-prevention exercises can be done while seated in a chair, making them easier for older adults to try.
There are also creative and engaging exercises available—why not enjoy preventing falls while having fun?
[For Seniors] Fun and Easy! Fall-Prevention Exercises for Older Adults (1–10)
Sit-to-stand training using parallel barsNEW!
This is a standing-up exercise using parallel bars for rehabilitation.
Hold the bars firmly with both hands and stand up on the count of three.
Then try to maintain a standing position for about 10 seconds.
If you can hold it, slowly sit back down.
Since you won’t always have support when standing up, practice repeatedly standing and sitting like this.
Doing so will strengthen your legs and lower back and help you learn a way of standing up that doesn’t put unnecessary strain on your body.
Parallel bars can also be purchased from online shops.
Sit-to-stand exercise using a chairNEW!
This is a training exercise using chairs that strengthens your legs and glutes.
It directly helps you perform the standing motion with less strain, so give it a try.
First, sit on a chair.
Place another chair facing the same direction in front of you, at a distance where you can touch its backrest with your arms extended.
Grab the front chair with your hands and lean your upper body firmly forward.
Then slowly lift your hips and stand up.
If you stand up with your torso upright, it puts strain on your legs and lower back, so be sure to lean forward well.
Simple exercises to make standing up easierNEW!
When standing up from a chair, lifting your hips is essential.
But that’s the moment that puts the most strain on your legs and lower back.
So let’s use this exercise to train yourself to raise your hips more easily.
First, clasp your hands and extend your arms in front of your body.
Then take both feet slightly back, and as you extend your arms diagonally upward, lift your hips off the seat.
Repeat this movement, and when you’re done, actually stand up.
The key is to tilt your pelvis upright and keep your back straight so it doesn’t round.
Standing-up exercises that don’t strain the knees or lower backNEW!
When you have pain in your knees or lower back, it can be hard to stand up.
Here’s a way to stand with less strain.
First, sit in a chair and place both hands on your thighs.
Then lean your upper body forward as if you’re bowing and lift your hips slightly off the seat.
Finally, press down firmly on your thighs with your hands to raise your upper body.
In addition to this standing technique, we also introduce exercises you can do while seated.
By continuing these, you can strengthen your legs, balance, and core, which should make standing up easier.
Twisting exercise
In addition to weakening of the legs and hips, stiffness in the upper body—such as the sides of the torso and the spine—can also cause older adults to fall.
Normally, when turning to look behind, the body twists in order: head, upper body, hips, then legs.
However, if the upper body is stiff, the lower body twists first.
As a result, the head and upper body can’t keep up with the twist, which may lead to a fall.
This video explains the importance of keeping the upper body flexible and practicing twisting movements to prevent falls.
The exercises are performed while seated, so they can be done safely.
Back Muscle Training for Seniors
Strengthen your back muscles with training introduced by an occupational therapist.
Benefits of training the back include preventing rounded shoulders and lower back pain, and by building a strong upper body, improving balance so posture and walking become more stable.
While back exercises are typically done lying face down, this routine is performed standing.
Cross your arms to hold your shoulders and bow.
Keeping your torso tilted forward, raise your arms overhead as if cheering and then pull them back.
These are simple movements anyone can imitate, so give them a try if you like.
Easy Exercises
“Easy Exercise” is a routine developed to prevent falls, fractures, and decline in daily functioning among older adults, with each movement given a clear purpose.
It’s divided into three levels—“for those who can exercise while seated,” “for those with slightly weak knees or shoulders,” and “for those who can exercise without difficulty”—so please imitate the movements within your own ability.
The routine lasts about six minutes, so do your best without overexerting yourself and stop where necessary.