Walking is an excellent form of exercise for older adults. It’s not only a safe form of exercise, it is also gentle on knee and hip joints and builds lower body strength. One of the great things about walking is that the only cost involved is a good pair of shoes. There’s no charge for walking around the neighborhood, in the park, or even at the mall. While walking is, no doubt, one of the best ways your senior family member can get exercise, there’s a new form of walking that can step up the action and might even keep the older adult safer. It’s called Nordic walking and it gets the whole body moving.
What is Nordic Walking?
Nordic walking is walking while using telescoping poles. The poles resemble ski poles but are specially designed to enhance the way people walk to work the upper body as well. As the person walks, they match their strides with the movement of their arms. Nordic walking uses about 80 percent of the body’s muscles, offering a full body workout. While it provides a better workout, walkers don’t perceive it as being any harder than regular walking.
Nordic walking got its name from a trend that began in Finland in the 1990s. Finnish cross country skiers found that if they walked with poles in the off season, it kept them in better shape for when the snow fell. Walking with poles caught on with people who don’t ski because it turned out to have some benefits that regular walking did not.
Why Is it Safer for Seniors?
Nordic walking offers more stability on a variety of terrains because of the use of the poles. While the walker isn’t meant to lean on the poles as they walk, the poles can help them to stabilize themselves as they walk, offering another point of contact with the ground. Using the poles correctly can also improve your aging relative’s posture, which can also improve balance.
What is Needed to Get Started?
Getting started in Nordic walking requires just two things, a set of poles and some good walking shoes. The poles can be purchased online or in a store. They are priced anywhere between $20 and $200. Look for trekking poles. You can find tutorials online to learn how the poles move while walking. If you purchase the poles in a sporting goods store, an employee may be able to explain how the poles are moved.
Even with poles, your parent may feel safer having someone to walk with. A senior care provider can walk with them even when they use the poles. Having a senior care provider along will ensure them they’ll have help should they stumble or fall. In addition, a senior care provider can offer them companionship and someone to talk to, making the walk more fun.
Sources
https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2019/nordic-walking.html?intcmp=AE-HP-BB-LL4
https://www.americannordicwalking.com/blog/2017/3/4/eo4yagte05ql8orxo5vnti12ze0d3n
https://www.verywellfit.com/nordic-walking-3432907
If you or an aging loved one is considering senior care in Big Timber, MT, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare Billings today at 406-839-2390.
