As we age, our strength is naturally going to decline. You or your loved one may begin to notice that certain tasks become more difficult. It becomes harder to stand up from a chair, getting off the floor can feel impossible, objects begin to feel heavier, and you can find yourself becoming fatigued sooner than normal. However, this isn't the time to feel discouraged. Exercising can help to overcome these challenges that we will all eventually face. It’s never too late to start adding exercise to your daily routine to combat this decline. While there is an infinite number of exercises you can perform at home, I recommend obtaining some home exercise equipment to add more variety, convenience, and even fun to your home routine.
There’s certain criteria for exercise equipment that are unique to aging, weak, or disabled individuals. It has to be safe to use, simple to set up and easy to store in order for people to be successful. After years in working with this population, I have several go-to items that I recommend to my patients. You’ll find them inside the majority of Physical Therapy clinics no matter what population they may serve. Here are some of my favorites that I'd recommend you and my patients for home use:
This type of product is a crowd favorite. Nearly every time someone starts using this, they say “I’ve seen this on tv” or “ I’ve been thinking about getting one of these for home”. That’s for a good reason. It’s easy to use, it exercises muscles all throughout your legs, promotes circulation, and is a quality cardiovascular exercise. It can be placed in your living room in front of the TV to help pass the time and provide a simple daily exercise. There are models of this that have a motor and can help you pedal if it is too difficult. This can be beneficial if you lack the strength to keep it moving, but I’d prefer you pedal without the motor and rely on your own muscles. However, using with the motor can help those with swelling in your lower legs and feet to improve circulation. If there’s one downside to this product, it’s that they can be heavy. I recommend you keep it located in a convenient place in front of a chair that you can easily access and won’t have to move around. There are plenty of options out there with different price ranges. I’ve found that this Cubii Seated Elliptical is worth spending more money for. It has provided us thousands of repetitions in the clinic and will continue to give us thousands more.
If you’re looking for one that’s easier on a budget, I recommend this Putnen Motorized Elliptical. This model contains a motor if you need some assistance, contains a remote to easily control, and is a top seller on Amazon. You’ll find that this type of product makes it easier to implement exercise into you or your loved ones daily routine.
This Adjustable Dumbbell by Zempox offers a twist on the classic dumbbell. It allows you to add or reduce weight with a rotating mechanism. The weight can range from 2 to 5 pounds per dumbbell. I love this product because it offers 4 different weight options without the cost or storage space of 4 separate dumbbells. It is easy to adjust and can be used for an infinite number of exercises.
3.TRX Suspension Training System
Here is a top seller in Gyms and Therapy Clinics across the country that you can have in your own home. I love this product because of how easy it is to set up in any room and adjust to the length you need. You can use the door anchor to mount it in a door frame or the suspension anchor to mount to a railing or deck outside. The entire system can easily be taken down and placed back into a mesh bag for easy transporting and storage.
My favorite exercises to perform with my aging patients include squats with use of this strap. This gives them some assistance from their upper extremities so that they can achieve greater depth and also implement their upper extremities for a full body workout. There’s many other exercises you can do such as rows and push ups, while simplifying it to your skill level. TRX will provide an entire catalog of exercises that can be done with this product to help you find the right exercise for you. There are many imitators of this product but none with the superior quality, warranty, or access to the TRX Training Club App with over 500 workouts.
Lastly we have this Resistance Band Exercise Kit from Taimasu. I love this kit because of the variety that it offers. The possibilities are endless. It comes with different resistances of latex ropes, loop bands, and even grip strength products. There are also extra items that you may not need and you can pass along to others such as the jump rope or head band. The latex ropes and loop bands are some of my go-to products for exercising in the clinic. Some of my favorite exercises with these include rows with the ropes and lateral stepping with the bands around your knees. The kit provides a variety of attachments so you can anchor the loop bands to a door frame or stair railing to turn any area into an exercise space. All of this can be easily stored in a convenient carrying case that they provide.
I hope you find some useful products in this article and that you can start an exercise program for you or your loved one. If you’re looking for a more customized exercise program, see our Personalized Exercise Programs to receive an exercise regimen tailored to you and your goals.
*This blog post contains general information about health and exercise. It is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional medical consultation. Always consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have any medical conditions or concerns.
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