Exercise is recommended for most every American, regardless of age, gender or level of fitness. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all American adults strive to include 150 minutes or more of exercise into their weekly routine. However, reaching these recommendations can be difficult when dealing with health conditions that leave you unable to exercise as intensely, or even limit your mobility to a chair or bed. Luckily, there are still options for reaching fitness goals, while keeping your health condition in mind.
Water Exercise
Water exercises vary in intensity from more aerobic swimming to less-impact basic aerobics classes. This form of exercise can be beneficial for those with health problems because the water reduces impact on your joints by supporting portion of your weight. In fact, up to 90 percent of your weight can be supported when exercising in water up to your neck. Water also provides multidirectional resistance, meaning that any way you move your body in the water, your muscles encounter resistance, creating exercise.
Low-Impact Cardio
Changing your exercise choices from up and down exercises like running, to more circular exercises like stationary bikes can also be beneficial for those with health problems. Up and down exercise cause stress on your body each time your feet impact the ground. Circular exercises, such as the movement of bicycle pedals, or the movements of an elliptical machine, remove the impact. Bikes also have the additional benefits of supporting your weight, reducing the weight effects on your joints.
Chair Exercises
For those that are confined to a chair due to health problems, there are various exercise that can be done without having to stand. For example, strength training using items like dumbbells or kettlebells allows you to work arms muscles and promote beneficial cardiovascular exercise effects for your body. Other simple exercises like arm circles, or legless jumping jacks where you only perform the arm portion of the jumping jack can also help increase your cardiovascular exercise without getting up. Several exercise videos also cater directly to those who are limited to a chair.
Bed Exercises
Even those who are bedridden can take part in and benefit from cardiovascular and strength-training exercises. Consider leg lifts, which simply consist of lifting one leg at a time up as far as you comfortably can while keeping the leg straight. Hold the leg in the air for five seconds, or as long as you can, and then gently bring it back down to the bed. Rolling from your right side to your left side repeatedly can also help work your core muscles, while helping reduce the occurrence of bed sores at the same time.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Physical Activity Guidelines
- Cancer Supportive Care; Physical Medicine Approaches to Pain Relief; Francine Manuel, RPT, et al.
- American College of Sports Medicine: Selecting and Effectively Using an Elliptical Trainer
- American College of Sports Medicine: Selecting and Effectively Using a Stationary Bicycle
- Spine-Health; Pool Therapy to Relieve Osteoarthritis Pain; Dr. Andrew J. Cole, et al.; December 2006
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