The elderly are advised to walk about 30 minutes per day to stay active. When walking outdoors is at times nearly impossible, can they use the treadmill?
Is treadmill good for elderly? The short answer is yes! This workout machine is completely safe for seniors if they apply the correct settings.
Let’s take a closer look at the article from Vint to discover more!
Table of Contents
Is Treadmill Good For Elderly?
If you intend to give your grandparents a treadmill for indoor walking, don’t hesitate because this machine is completely safe for the elderly as long as they strictly follow treadmill safety precautions.
A treadmill is an excellent piece of equipment for improving postural stability and, as a result, lowering the risk and consequences of falling.
Being prone to regular falls is one of the most dangerous and prevalent aging concerns. The majority of falls occur due to poor postural stability or a failure to keep their equilibrium.
What’s more, according to some research, one-third of seniors over the age of 65 falls at least once per year, and half fall regularly. Walking exercises on the treadmill might be a good solution to prevent such situations.
Furthermore, a workout that includes both backward and forward walking helps improve gait function in the elderly. It enhances motor learning by activating the central postural mechanism.
Treadmills are useful for stroke therapy. It promotes healthy aging and lowers the risk of diseases such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
Jogging workouts on training equipment additionally is beneficial for building up bone density and muscle strength. Hence, it can lower the risk of osteoporosis or sarcopenia in the elderly.
Walking equipment for seniors
How Can A Treadmill Benefit The Elderly?
Many seniors use a treadmill for their home exercise apart from outdoor jogging activities. Here are some benefits the elderly can gain from exercising with equipment.
Help Improve Cardiovascular Health
The biggest advantage they can achieve is better cardiovascular health. When jogging or walking, hearts require more blood to work, so the heart needs to pump more blood, and the blood flow will be better.
In general, this type of heart exercise promotes cardiovascular health and lowers the risk of disease related to the heart.
Boost Immune System
Overall exercise, including walking on a training machine, can enhance the immune system and make the body more resistant to sickness. As individuals become older, this is a huge benefit.
Aid The Elderly With Chronic Stroke In Recovering Fitness
If you suffer from chronic strokes, it might not be easy to walk and move appropriately.
Fortunately, a training machine has a physical rehabilitation program to improve your gait and overall fitness. As a result, you’ll be able to move easily and independently.
Support Weight Loss
Maintaining 30 minutes of walking every day will help you burn calories and support a healthy weight.
There will be additional weight-loss advantages for seniors who can safely walk on a treadmill. According to Reuters, jogging can likewise reduce sweet food cravings.
Improve Gait
Seniors suffering from strokes or Parkinson’s disease may find it difficult to move freely. In both circumstances, though, walking exercise on the equipment can help you improve your gait. It lowers the risk of falling and hurting yourself.
It comes with various benefits
What To Consider When Choosing A Treadmill For the Elderly?
If you plan to purchase a treadmill for your grandparents, you should turn these considerations over your mind.
High-Quality Cushioning
Walking is a simple and useful exercise, but it can cause serious injury if done carelessly. Also, older adults’ joints are vulnerable, and you should purchase a lightweight machine to lessen the impact on their joints.
A training machine with good cushioning will assist you in avoiding tiredness and arthritis while also improving your overall fitness performance and results.
Firm Construction
When choosing any gym equipment, quality should always come first. So, check the warranty duration to see if it suits your height, weight, and other important safety characteristics.
Suitable Workout Programs
For most elders, running at a quicker speed is difficult. It’s as simple as stepping on and walking. As a result, the training machine for seniors should have an incline, aerobic workouts, distance, and interval, among other features.
Feature A Heart Rate Monitor
Considerations before purchasing
Heart rate tracking is a helpful function for better understanding your health data. If you want to learn treadmill walking workouts for seniors, you can watch this video:
What Safety Precautions Should The Elderly Follow?
Although the treadmill is safe for old-aged people, they should follow safety precautions to get the best workout result.
- Cardiovascular disease patients should walk regularly and leisurely. They need to complete the 6-minute walking test before starting on the treadmill.
- It is critical to monitor vitals such as heart rate and blood pressure before jogging on the machine.
- Running is not recommended for older people who have cardiovascular problems.
- Improper footwear can exacerbate knee injuries and lead to further issues.
- Seniors with knee ailments use 0% incline and a speed of 4 or 4.5 miles each hour.
- Older people with back injuries should use additional lumbar accessories while jogging.
Safety precautions while workout
What Are Some Treadmill Alternatives For The Elderly?
Some people may find the treadmill unsuitable for their health conditions. Here are some great alternatives they can consider for their daily exercise:
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Exercise with ball
- Exercise with stretch cords
- A stationary cycling machine
- A cross trainer
Yoga courses
In A Nutshell
This article has eventually got to the bottom of the commonly asked question: Is treadmill good for elderly? Of course, seniors can freely walk on this machine as long as they follow safety precautions.
Hopefully, this article will be helpful for you. Thanks for reading, and see you in the next post!
Good day, readers! My name is Jason Gwinn, a 35 years old man who specializes in physical fitness. With 15 years of experience being a personal trainer, I will help you conquer the fitness challenges. Besides guiding you through my unique workouts, I can also help you choose the best fitness equipment to assist you in achieving your goals and exercise regimen.
