Working Out With Limited Mobility
The rowing machine is one of the best ways to workout (Photo by Victor Freitas on Unsplash)
Article by: Jane Sandwood, Freelance Writer
Over 40% of 40- to 60-year-old Britons walk less than 10 minutes per month according to an Independent report by Rachel Hosie. That’s way below the minimum required amount of physical activity to promote good health. Based on the recommendations by the National Health Service, people aged 19-64 should spend no less than 150 minutes on moderate aerobic exercises—in addition to two full-body strength training sessions—per week.
The good news is that you can simply trade off the duration for more intensity if you don’t have 150 minutes to spare. Unfortunately, this is not really a viable option for people with limited mobility. Well, this is where low-impact home workouts come in.
Getting the Right Equipment
According to fitness expert Max Lowery, high-intensity workouts can make mobility issues worse. You see, high-impact movements can be extremely dangerous if done with incorrect form—which you’d probably end up doing if you already had limited mobility to begin with. Couple this with the fact that your body is most likely also not ready to handle such a high level of physical stress and you open yourself up to all sorts of chronic injuries. This is exactly why fitness equipment like recumbent bikes are better than, say, treadmills in this case. They allow you to get a quality cardio workout without subjecting your knees and back to intense impacts. Just pair them up with a set of selectorised dumbbells and you have everything you need to get a low-impact full body cardio and strength training workout. Just focus on slow, controlled movements and light weights and work your way up as you get stronger.
Rest and Recovery
Of course, working out is just half the equation. You also need to get enough rest if you want to get stronger. Doing so gives your body time to repair itself and become better at handling the physical challenges that you throw at it. If you want to speed up the whole recovery process, however, you can also use your time off to get full-body massages and eat nutrient-rich meals.
Professional Help
Don’t worry if you don’t know how to get started. Just ask your doctor for help in designing your program. The last thing you want is to end up stuck with a training regimen that further aggravates any mobility issues you may have. Keep in mind that at the end of the day, your number one priority should still be to get better.