[For Seniors] Leg and lower-back training: Fall prevention
As we age, the muscles in our legs and lower back can weaken, making us more prone to stumbling or falling.
However, by continuing with simple training, you can better support your lower body and aim for a body that’s less likely to fall.
Incorporating easy, low-impact exercises into your daily routine will also help you gain confidence in walking.
This time, we’ll introduce leg and lower-back strengthening exercises that are safe for older adults.
You can start them easily at home, so why not enjoy moving your body while you do them? Keep at it a little each day, and let’s keep walking energetically for years to come!
- [For Seniors] Recreational activities and games that let you have fun while strengthening your legs
- For Seniors: How to Strengthen Your Inner Muscles. Fall Prevention
- For seniors: Leg-strengthening exercises you can do without overexertion.
- [For Seniors] Fun and Easy! Fall-Prevention Exercises for Older Adults
- [For Seniors] Exercises to Walk Again. Fall Prevention
- [For Seniors] Strengthen Your Legs! Recommended Training Items
- [With Video] Lower-limb strength training for seniors that can be done in bed
- [For Seniors] Recommended Easy Strength Training
- [For Seniors] Balance-Training Exercises: Preventing Falls
- Summary of exercises for seniors: introducing preventative care movements by body part.
- [For Seniors] Core Training: Recommended Simple Rehabilitation
- [For Seniors] Easy and Fun Core Training
- [For Seniors] Improve Your Body Concerns! A Summary of Exercises for Urinary Leakage
[For Seniors] Leg and hip training. Fall prevention (1–10)
7-Day Iliopsoas StretchNEW!
One factor that makes it harder to engage your legs and hips, causes your posture to collapse, and leaves an older-looking impression is tightness in the iliopsoas.
The “7-Day Iliopsoas Stretch” features movements that specifically target this muscle group, which tends to get stiff.
By taking a big split stance and adding a torso twist, you can feel a deep stretch in your lower abdomen, allowing you to loosen the muscle without strain.
With around 10 reps, it’s easy to try, and focusing on the lower abdomen helps you feel the effects.
As you keep it up, it becomes easier to keep the pelvis upright, making it simple to envision improvements in posture and walking comfort.
Give it a try.
A stretch to make rock-hard iliopsoas muscles soft and fluffyNEW!
Although it’s a challenging pose to balance, it looks like a stretch that can lengthen the whole body in addition to the iliopsoas.
From all fours, step only your right foot far forward, thread your right hand under the right leg, and grab the top of your foot.
Lift your left knee off the floor and extend the leg straight, aiming the heel toward the ceiling.
Once you’re in this position, move your left leg in a circular motion.
After about 10 repetitions, switch legs and repeat.
That’s all there is to the movement, so it’s very simple!
Iliopsoas training using a wallNEW!
Here’s a hip flexor workout you can do at home as soon as you think of it.
Use a wall and perform it standing.
First, place both hands on the wall and take a step back.
Step your right foot forward, place your right hand on your hip, and press your left hand into the wall to keep your shoulders from collapsing and to align your posture.
In this position, lift your right leg and externally rotate it just before it reaches the top.
Doing 20 reps on each side is effective, but if standing the whole time is tough, try a number that feels manageable.
Let’s strengthen hip flexors that have weakened from too much sitting.
[For Seniors] Leg and hip training. Fall prevention (11–20)
Iliopsoas stretch while lying downNEW!
A recommended iliopsoas stretch to do before daytime chores and activities or after a bath.
First, when stretching on your side, move while keeping in mind that you’re pushing your hips forward.
When stretching on your back, raise and lower one knee to alternately lengthen and shorten the muscle.
Place a hand on your glutes, and as you perform the lengthening movement, focus on whether the muscle is actually stretching—that’s the key point.
Be mindful of your breathing, relax, and take it slowly.
Just this before bed! Iliopsoas exerciseNEW!
Regardless of gender, that protruding belly can be a concern.
Once it sticks out, it’s hard to pull back in, isn’t it? It might be because you sit a lot and your iliopsoas has become tight.
Through this stretch, let’s loosen the iliopsoas, improve lymphatic flow, and aim to flatten your belly.
Get on all fours and cross your ankles.
In that position, arch your back and tilt your hips forward, lowering them as close to the floor as possible.
Next, push your hips back as if sticking your butt out, bringing your upper body closer to the floor.
Inhale as you move forward, and exhale as you move back.
It’s tough at first, but if you do it every day, you should start to feel the effects.
Yoga to Strengthen the IliopsoasNEW!
The iliopsoas is what’s called a deep (inner) muscle, so strengthening it helps with posture and walking.
It’s not hard to train.
Start on your knees, then step one foot forward.
Bend the front knee to 90 degrees and open it outward.
Turn the back leg inward.
Raise both hands overhead, then hinge your torso forward and return, keeping your hips from shifting.
Switch legs and do 10 reps on each side.
It’s a simple move, so add it to your daily stretching routine.
Two exercises that work the iliopsoasNEW!
A psoas stretch recommended for people concerned about anterior pelvic tilt, lower back pain, or shorter strides.
For the seated psoas training, keep your posture upright and move your legs so they don’t hit the markers.
In the half-kneeling position, focus on the front of the hip joint and make sure your torso doesn’t arch backward as you move—that’s the key point.
Because the movements are slow, you can adjust while listening to your body, which is another plus.
Try to move slowly without holding your breath.