Training & Nutrition - fitness for elderly and immobile

Hi,

My mother (about 55-60) was injured in a car crash meaning she has a lot of pain when she moves around. Stupid other negligent driver!

She had to give up her favourite sports of tennis and dancing.

She has always eaten well. Lots of fresh vegetables.

She has put on a LOT of weight and this affects her confidence.

What can she do to help improve this?

She walks as much as she can.

What other low impact beneficial forms of exercise can you recommend. *she hates water

1. 55-60 is not elderly ... it's not even retirement age!

2. What about yoga? It's great for increasing flexibility (thus easing pain).

3. What about cycling? Cycling is low impact, but her comfort with it would depend where her injuries are.

Combine whatever exercise plan she adopts with a weight reduction plan. Exercise alone will not help much in losing weight.

Man, if she is "elderly" at 60, then I must be decrepit at 66yo!

How about a 3 wheeler recumbent bicycle. You don't really describe her capabilities, but a 3 wheeler (a good quality, not a big clunker) is pretty sexy and exciting. If you want more info, check out the recumbent forum:

http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=37

It should give good support.

Also, a weight reduction program would be important, as would a strength program lifting weights, etc.

What does the doc say?

My wife also had a couple of car accidents. Through good physical therapy and a lot of bicycling, etc., she has made good improvement.

There are group cycling rides which should provide a nice social element.

Please tell us some more.

Hi,

My mother (about 55-60) was injured in a car crash meaning she has a lot of pain when she moves around. Stupid other negligent driver!

She had to give up her favourite sports of tennis and dancing.

She has always eaten well. Lots of fresh vegetables.

She has put on a LOT of weight and this affects her confidence.

What can she do to help improve this?

She walks as much as she can.

What other low impact beneficial forms of exercise can you recommend. *she hates water

First, I hope she's getting some type of physical therapy. It's no fun being in pain. :(

Second, we don't know a lot. Better to tell us what she likes and doesn't like, along with where the pain is, and how severe the pain is.

Third, it's difficult to recommend any exercises, because it may exacerbate the problem. That ain't cool.

Having said all that, I know a great woman who does low impact aerobic classes for seniors. She actually had such a demand for her classes that she created and sells a dvd/vhs for aerobics and strength training for seniors. It's all done seated in chairs. Here's the link, and there's a video you can watch with a demo from the dvd: http://www.strongerseniors.com/?l=buy

I so highly regard Anne. She is wonderful.

Find someone for some personal training sessions who has a specialty certification in 50+/older populations. (Yeah, I know, I know.... for the rest of you 50+, when I (and others in the fitness world) refer to 50+, we usually are referring to the inactive and nearly immoble older seniors, not the active ones here on bikeforums, so calm down). I have a specialty certification in 50+, and there are instructors out there- you can probably contact SCW Fitness and find out if they can recommend instructors that received 50+ certifications through them.

I would also contact Joe Signorile. He works out of University of Miami, and he works primarily with older seniors. I've seen him take older seniors in walkers and bedridden and get them scooting around faster than me! The last lecture he did left me openmouthed. He videotapes progress, so I'm sure he's legit. He is very forthcoming, and just the nicest, sweetest guy, though he may seem a bit rough. But he's also a big time I-talian American, so maybe you can offer him some homemade cannoli or something in exchange for some information or a consultation. ;) Here's his info: Exercise Physiology
Joseph Signorile
Professor
O: (305) 284-3105
H: (305) 252-8704
E: jsignorike@umiami.ir.miami.edu

Here's more info I dug up on him:
Dr. Joseph F. Signorile (305) 284-3105
Education, School of
Professor, Exercise and Sport Sciences
jsignorile@miami.edu
Coral Gables Campus
Street Address:
5202 University Drive
Coral Gables, FL 33124
PO Address:
P.O. Box 248065
Coral Gables, FL 33124
Responsibilities: Exercise Physiology, Musculoskeletal Physiology, Neurophysiology, Aging


Aside from that, I recommend getting the tapes and video from Anne. Also, go to www.spriproducts.com and pick up exercise bands from them- yellow bands and green long bands, and figure 8 bands ought to do the trick. She can do strength training with the bands and use the video tapes for the cardio. Eventually, I hope she'd get to the point where she's strong enough to do more strenuous exercise, but that's what a personal trainer does.

Good luck to you, and let us know how things go with her. Above all, she should definitely seek physician's clearance for exercise before she does ANYTHING. Then step 2 is to do some of the stuff I mentioned when her doctor says it's ok.

Koffee

..

Tai chi is also good for older adults, as it helps them learn balance. This is great with helping to prevent them from falls where they may end up breaking their hip(s).

Koffee