[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?
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[For Seniors] Fun and Easy! Fall-Prevention Exercises for Older Adults (61–70)
Iliopsoas training
This is a training exercise to strengthen the iliopsoas, an important inner muscle that connects the upper and lower body.
Lie on your back and place your hands on your stomach.
Make sure your lower back is pressed firmly against the floor, as a gap between your lower back and the floor can cause back pain.
From this position, lift your right leg, touch your right heel to your left knee, and return.
Do the same on the left side.
Another effective core-strengthening move is to start with your knees bent and lift your legs as if bringing your knees closer to your body.
These exercises can help prevent unsteadiness while walking and may also improve sensitivity to cold.
Try incorporating them into your daily training routine.
Kneeling balance practice
In our usual way of standing, we might hold onto something, but we rarely pay attention to the finer details.
This exercise intentionally makes your stance unstable so you can become aware of the muscles you use when standing and improve your balance.
Slowly move into a kneeling position, and from an upright kneel, shift your weight to one side at a time while paying attention to which muscles you’re engaging.
Since kneeling and maintaining balance can be difficult, use a chair for support or try other methods that make it easier as you go.
Newspaper-pulling-with-your-feet game
Here’s a game that gets you moving your feet while having fun and training at the same time.
Have older adults sit in a chair and pull a sheet of newspaper with their feet.
They can pull it with one foot or with both feet together.
You can also have two older adults sit facing each other at a distance and compete—it should be fun.
Besides providing leg exercise, it’s likely to increase interaction among older adults and bring more smiles.
It can also help with a change of pace and stress relief.
Please give it a try.
Step out, open your legs
This is an exercise where two people sit in chairs facing each other and move their legs into specified positions.
Because the two are close together, it looks as if their leg movements are synchronized, which adds to the fun.
For example, when one person extends a leg forward, the other can open their legs to avoid it—watch your partner’s movements while moving your legs firmly.
Adding variations like increasing the speed or proceeding while singing can create an even more enjoyable atmosphere, so those are recommended as well.
Toe strength training
If you feel like you’re getting more unsteady when you stand up or start walking, the cause might be that your weight is centered on your heels.
This time, we’ll introduce toe-strength exercises that help firmly support your body, along with exercises to prevent your center of gravity from shifting backward.
Prepare a chair and stand facing it.
Place your feet shoulder-width apart and perform a forward-bending motion as if to touch the chair seat, 10 times.
Be careful not to bend your knees.
Next is a glute exercise.
Stand with your heels and thighs together, tighten your buttocks, and then move your hips forward and backward while keeping them engaged.
You’ll see better results if you continue regularly, so try to do these consciously.
Toe training
To help older adults stay healthy for as long as possible, it’s important to maintain balance function.
Walking is healthy, but it also carries a risk of falls.
For those who feel uneasy about that, we recommend toe exercises to train balance.
In fact, strengthening the toes can improve stability while walking and standing.
It can also help with foot problems such as hallux valgus (bunions) and floating toes, and may make your feet less prone to fatigue.
These exercises are easy to do while seated, so they’re suitable for any older adult.
Plus, you can enjoy fun activities like rock-paper-scissors with your toes, which can also help improve communication among seniors.
Leg swing workout
We’d like to introduce a leg-swing exercise that can improve hip strength and range of motion in just five minutes a day.
It’s very simple to do! While holding onto the back of a chair, perform five movements—swinging your leg forward and backward, side to side, and moving your leg in a circular motion—each for 20 seconds, and repeat the set twice.
Just this alone helps develop the strength to support your lower back, the ability to steady yourself when you wobble, and your overall balance.
You can do it at home anytime without worrying about the weather or temperature, so it’s highly recommended.