Confinement to a wheelchair does not have to be a sentence to a sedentary lifestyle. Many seniors who must remain seated can still participate in exercise programs that are specially modified to suit their needs and abilities. For the best results and the lowest risk of injury, consult a certified instructor or physical therapist who can tailor exercises for you. Talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise program.
Aerobic Training
Aerobic training benefits your heart, lungs and circulatory system, and can help you maintain a healthy weight. Finding appropriate aerobic exercises can be especially difficult if you are confined to a wheelchair. If you can move your legs even a little, try kicks, knee lifts or marching your feet in place, advise Elizabeth Best-Martini and Kim A. Botenhagen-DiGenova in "Exercise for Frail Elders." Lock the wheels of your wheelchair before you begin, so your base is stable. If you can't move your legs, raising and lowering your arms above your head for several repetitions will produce an aerobic effect. Moving in time to music is one of the best ways to stay motivated.
Strength Training
Strength training --- working with weights or resistance to build muscle --- helped improve the physical fitness of elderly participants in an assisted-care facility, most of whom were confined to wheelchairs, according to Wayne L. Westcott, fitness research director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts, and author of "Building Strength & Stamina." Performing six resistance exercises, including leg presses, triceps presses, and low back and neck extensions, two days a week for 14 weeks, helped the participants lose an average of three pounds of fat and gain an average of four pounds of muscle. The participants, whose average age was 89, became more independent and were able to spend less time in their wheelchairs by the end of the trial.
Stretching
Stretching is a key fitness component at any age. If you're confined to a wheelchair, you probably feel that your tendons and muscles, especially on the backs of your legs, are not as flexible as they once were. Stretching exercises can help the elderly maintain mobility, according to Mary Ann Wilson, creator of the nonprofit healthy aging organization Sit and Be Fit. Extend your leg from the knee and flex your ankle so that you feel a stretch on your calf to help prevent cramping in the lower leg. Bring your knees to your chest and holding them there to help stretch your lower back and hamstring muscles.
Qigong Training
Exercises that challenge your mental focus, offer a meditation component and gently stretch the spine have a host of emotional benefits in addition to the physical ones. Qigong, the ancient Chinese art of cultivating qi, or vital life energy, involves slow, gentle stretches and arm movements that you can easily perform from a chair. Participants in a study published in the "Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance" on the effects of qigong on older adults reported that twice daily qigong exercises helped them feel more connected with nature and relaxed. The study's authors reported that continuing qigong practice can help improve concentration.
References
- "Exercise for Frail Elders"; Elizabeth Best-Martini and Kim A. Botenhagen-DiGenova; 2003
- "Building Strength & Stamina"; Wayne L. Westcott; 2003
- Sit and Be Fit with Mary Ann Wilson: Mary Ann's Quick and Easy Energizer Chair Workout
- "Alternative Medicine: the Options, the Claims, the Evidence"; Dónal O'Mathúna and Walt Larimore; 2007
- Education Resources Information Center: Qigong and the Older Adult
Member Comments