It has to be taken into consideration that with time ad age, the spinal vertebrae and cartilage between these vertebrae can begin to become weak. This would result in discomfort and back pain among the senior citizens. However, sedentary lifestyle is not the only solution to these impediments. Rather, it is best to engage in gentle exercises so as to maintain the strength and flexibility of the spinal cord. If a senior citizen abides by a proper exercise regimen, the person can be described to be armored against any sort of back injury as such.
One has to take into consideration the fact that abdominal strengthening exercises are very much needed for maintenance of the health of the spinal cord. Senior citizens can engage in exercises like leg lifts and crunches for ascertaining the proper condition of the back. These should be done daily with a rep of 10-12 times per set. Three sets would suffice. These exercises have to be performed keeping the knees bent. Apart from this, senior citizens should also engage in exercises for the shoulders for keeping good core strength. Arm lifts can be a good option for the exercise of the shoulders. This too can be done daily with a rep of 15 times per set to amount to 3 sets. According to McMurdo and Rennie (1992), one has to reckon the fact that stretching exercises and posture are of primary importance for the sake of safety and the range of motion at the time of lower back pain workout.
It has to be remembered that spinal extension exercises are very effective for the purpose of strengthening the lower back portion of the body and relieving stiffness. Such exercises have shown utmost utility in the reduction of symptoms of back pain in elderly people. The workout addresses problems of the cortical and trabecular bones. Elderly people should indulge in practicing low-impact workout for the purpose of relieving lower back pain. This exercise should be done 3 times a week at least with 4-5 reps. The lower back pain workout is very effective in making the person loose on a lot of weight, which in turn can aid the process of reduction of the pain in the lower back part of the body. This strengthens the axial skeleton of the human body. If a senior citizen performs aerobic exercise as many as 3-5 times in a week for an hour, it could fetch very good results for the person.
One has to remember that the core exercises are greatly helpful in the process of strengthening and stabilizing the sacrum and coccyx of the elderly people. Senior citizens should remember to warm up before doing any sort of workout. Normally it should take around 4-5 minutes to warm up every time. If any particular exercise causes pain, it should be stopped immediately. The back portion should be supported by the arms when one is bending towards the front from the waist. The specific exercises that can be extremely helpful for senior citizens in this regard need to be discussed in details.
One of the most effective workouts is the eccentric straight leg raise. This useful exercise goes on to work the hip flexor and abdominal muscles, and thus improved the power to come out of the bed or get up from the chair. The workout helps the rectus abdominis, the internal obliques, and the external obliques. The particular exercise also maintains the posture of the elderly people and helps to relieve pain of back muscle of the body. Thus, it is surely one of the most useful and popular choices for senior citizens to practice regularly for the purpose of having a good health. It should be done 3-4 times a week with as many as 15-25 reps as per convenience. Apart from this, the bent knee raise is another very useful exercise for the spine. This is a popular back pain exercise that goes on to work on the abdominal as well as the hip flexor muscles. The standing posture of any elderly person is greatly helped by this exercise. It should be practices 3-4 times a week with 12 reps per time.
According to the article, “12 Best Lower Back Pain Exercises For Seniors And The Elderly”, curl ups are also very helpful for the senior citizens. This spinal exercise goes on to address the symptoms of back pain. The workout is very useful in aiding the balance and posture of the body by strengthening the core muscles of the elderly people. One has to take into consideration the fact that action like getting up from the bed or a chair becomes very easy if the person has strong abdominal muscles in the body. This should be practiced 4 times a week with 10 reps per time. The cat and camel workout is also very popular for the cause of aiding the spine of any elderly person. This workout is very effective for the extension and stretching of the mid back as well as the lower back muscles of the human body. The intervertebral symphysis joints on the anterior side and the two gliding diarthrodial facet joints on the posterior side are aided by this workout. This also goes on to relieve the back pain and loosens up the pelvic region of the body. Practicing this 3-4 times in a week with 8 reps would suffice. The pelvic tilt is very useful for the well-being of an elderly person.
Another good option for the senior citizens is to practice back extension. This is very helpful as it goes on to stretch as well as extend the lower back muscles along with the mid back ones. The exercise can be very effective to counter the mid back pains that are associated with postural strain of the body. The exercise also proves to be very useful for the purpose of maintaining a proper posture with standing and sitting. This can be done daily for 5-10 seconds with 4-5 reps per time. This helps the facet joints of the spine. The leg extensions can also be very helpful for the elderly people. This allows extension and stretching the hip pain as well as the lower back muscles of the body. The exercise also helps in the process of making the leg muscles and the pelvis stronger by reduction of symptoms of problems. Practicing it 3 times a week with 12 reps would be enough.
Bridging is another important workout that counters pain in sacrum and coccyx region of the spine. It helps in providing strength to the hip extensors, hamstrings as well as the buttock muscles. The lower back and the sacroiliac also get stronger by this exercise. Moreover, the anulus fibrosus is also strengthened by this workout. The elderly people can be greatly benefitted by this particular workout as it improves the ability of the person to stand properly and maintain the balance of the body. This should be done 3 times a week with 8 reps per time. The pelvic tilt can also be extremely helpful as it stretches the hip and the lower back muscles. Thus, it functions as a very good treatment for back pain, and it also relieves the elderly people of their sore backs after a stretch of walking. In a week, 4 times with 6-8 reps is enough.
Sit backs and arm raises on back are also very useful as both of these exercises go on to strengthen the abdominal and back muscles respectively. The motion of the upper back and the shoulders is helped by the arm raises on back exercise. Moreover, the arm raises on back can help in stabilizing the lower back. This workout helps in making the lower back get stabilized. Also, it strengthens the postural muscles along with the abdominal ones. In a week, 4-5 times with 12 minimum reps would suffice. Arm raises on knees are also very useful as a back pain and exercise movement. It goes on to make the stability of the shoulder and the upper back much better. On the other hand, the hip flexion is a lower back workout that goes on to play a key role in improving the lower back range of flexibility as well as motion. This exercise is also very helpful for engaging in activities that involve stooping to a lower position. The lumbar lateral flexor muscles: quadratus lumborum and psoas major are helped to remain strong by this exercise. Thus, it is extremely helpful for the senior citizens who mostly have impediments in positioning their body at a lower angle so as to pick things up or do some chores. These can be done 4 times a week with 8-10 reps for 1 of 2 sets per day.
If the senior citizens practice the mentioned exercises on a regular basis, these are sure to yield results. The elderly people can experience a better life sans problems of the spine if the workouts are practiced properly. However, they should refrain from any particular workout if it hurts them in any way. The main reason for workout is well-being and fitness, and the old age is simply relieved of all the problems if one is careful enough to take the necessary precautions for a better life.
References
McMurdo, M & L. Rennie. (1992). A Controlled Trial of Exercise by Residents of Old
People's Homes. Oxford Journals 22.1: 11-15. Retrieved from http://ageing.oxfordjournals.org/content/22/1/11.short
12 Best Lower Back Pain Exercises For Seniors And The Elderly. In Elder Gym website.
Retrieved from http://eldergym.com/lower-back-pain-exercise.html
