Maintaining physical strength, flexibility and healthy weight are desirable goals for everyone, but they are sometimes difficult for seniors, people with physical disabilities, and office workers, all of whom find themselves frequently sitting. Many simple chair exercises have been created for all three groups. Practiced regularly, these exercises can help seniors, persons with disabilities and cubicle jockeys create healthier bodies. Exercise participants should check with their doctors before starting a new exercise program.
Flexibility
Flexibility or stretching exercises can be very important for maintaining mobility and reducing pain. One example is found in a pamphlet by the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers Inc., called "Exercises At Your Workstation."
Extend your arms over your head and place your palms together. Stretch your arms upward and also backward just a little. Then relax, bring your arms down, and repeat this sequence. Next, roll your shoulders forward and then relax your shoulder muscles. Then roll your shoulders backward and then relax your shoulder muscles.
Strength
Exercise in a chair can also strengthen muscles. The University of Georgia offers a series of strengthening chair exercises in a booklet entitled "Chair Exercises for Older Adults," which includes "balancing toe taps."
Sitting in a normal posture, with bent knees, take a ball and place it on the floor next to your feet. While holding onto your chair, place your right foot on the ball, and keep your left foot on the floor. Hold this position for four seconds. Then put your right foot on the floor and your left foot on the ball, and hold this position for four seconds. Repeat this sequence 10 times.
Burning Calories
Beyond flexibility and strengthening exercises, there are many ways for chair exercisers to burn calories. Two ways to do this are programs that are referred to as "seated aerobics" or "chair aerobics," which include chair dancing and chair boxing.
Chair dancing programs typically feature vigorous dance moves, including salsa, some done entirely while remaining seated. Other chair dancing programs expand into standing movement sequences. Chair boxing appears to be a newer concept. Both chair dancing and chair boxing programs promise a complete workout.
Some seniors, disabled persons and office workers feel that unless they are strong enough for a gym, exercise is pointless. But "Disabled World," a disability and health news online community, tells people in wheelchairs that "if you can move something, you can exercise."
Member Comments