Exercises for Seniors: 6 Functional Exercises That Actually Create Results

I'm a huge advocate of exercising with purpose and intention. While general advice for seniors often includes activities like swimming or walking, these can sometimes feel overwhelming, unpleasant, or have high barriers to entry.

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What if you're struggling with walking? Or standing up from the ground? What if you want to ensure you maintain your independence for as long as possible? What specific exercises can help address these movements?

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Hi, I'm Dr. Gretchen, a physical therapist and MS-certified specialist. I've dedicated my career to understanding Multiple Sclerosis and helping individuals overcome its symptoms. Through my work, I provide MS-specific exercises, easy-to-follow educational videos, and a supportive community to improve the quality of life for those with MS. Thousands of people have enhanced their everyday lives using these research-backed strategies, finding renewed hope and confidence in their ability to continue progressing and living life to the fullest.

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Did you know that around 30% of people are diagnosed with MS after the age of 40? Whether you have MS or not, staying active and maintaining strength is crucial as we age.

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Our mobility and independence rely on our ability to stay active. While overall strength is beneficial, there are specific exercises that can significantly help seniors with everyday movements. These are the same exercises I recommend to my clients with MS. The good news is, that it's never too late to increase your strength.

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If you're finding daily tasks more challenging or recovering from an injury or hospital stay, these exercises can help. The key is to focus on functional exercise patterns that strengthen the muscles needed for everyday activities, making sitting, standing, and walking easier.

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Let’s dive into understanding how functional exercises can strengthen your body as you age and explore six exercises for seniors that target balance, mobility, and strength.

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What Is Functional Exercise?

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Functional exercises are designed to improve the body's ability to perform real-life tasks by mimicking daily activities. These exercises are great for seniors because they use multiple muscle groups to enhance coordination, balance, and flexibility in addition to exercises that isolate specific muscles.

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For instance, if you're struggling to get in and out of a car, a functional exercise would involve practicing those specific movements in a safe setting.

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This approach not only builds strength but also improves the efficiency and safety of these movements, which is particularly beneficial for seniors and those with MS. By focusing on practical movements, functional exercises enhance daily living and help maintain independence.

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How To Focus On Exercises That Help:

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Exercise can often feel like an endless marathon with goals that seem perpetually out of reach, especially as we age. I aim to help you break down these goals into manageable, simple steps, allowing you to regain control of your life and enjoy exercise rather than viewing it as a chore. 

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For example, many of my clients want the flexibility and strength to stand up on their own from low surfaces, but feel like this goal is too difficult for them to achieve

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My advice is always to break down the movement step-by-step to see which aspect is most important to strengthen.

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To stand up, here is a breakdown of the steps involved:

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1. Scooting forward in the chair.
2. Widening your stance.
3. Bending your knees
4. Shifting your body weight forward.
5. Pushing up through your legs.

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These individual actions will now become exercises themselves. Breaking down and practicing these steps will help you achieve your goal more effectively. Many of you may not have this same specific goal, but I encourage you to think about each movement required to complete an action, whether it be sitting, standing, walking, etc… 

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From here, it’s easier to see what exercises require more attention to strengthen those muscles.

Exercises For Seniors: 6 Functional Exercises

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When choosing the exercises to add to this post, I wanted to focus primarily on the legs as these muscles are the foundation for many actions needing to sit, stand, and walk comfortably. For so many of my clients experiencing MS, these exercises have allowed them to regain control of their symptoms in a way that doesn’t feel impossible.

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By improving your leg muscles, you can rely on the strength of your body, no matter your age or condition.

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To see a complete breakdown of how I achieve each exercise correctly, watch my YouTube video here. If you want different exercises tailored to your specific goals, my YouTube channel, provides exercise demonstrations and advice in a community format.

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Exercise 1: Foot Dorsiflexion

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Foot Dorsiflexion Exercise Steps:

1. Sit comfortably on a chair.
2. Extend one leg out in front of you.
3. Flex your foot, pulling your toes towards your shin.
4. Hold for a few seconds, then release.
5. Repeat 20-30 times.

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Exercise 2: Marching

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Marching Exercise Steps:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Lift one knee to hip height while maintaining your balance.
3. Lower your leg and repeat with the other leg.
4. Continue alternating legs for 20-30 times.

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Exercise 3 and 4: Hip Hinging & Staggered Stance Weight Shifting

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Hip Hinging Exercise Steps:

1. Use the back of a chair to help assist in balance.
2. Stand with your feet together and tuck your hips under (make sure your butt is not sticking out).
3. Shift your weight onto one leg.
4. Lift the opposite leg slightly, keeping your shoulders level and slowly let your heel lead it back.
5. Make sure your hips are still tucked and lower your leg back to the starting position.
6. Repeat for up to 10x each side, focusing on maintaining balance and hip alignment as much as possible.

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Staggered Weight Shifting Exercise Steps:

1. Stand with one foot in front and the other in back. The distance should be what you consider normal to your typical walking stride and not super wide.
2. Slowly shift as much weight as you can safely to the front foot. Avoid knee locking.
3. Focus on keeping your balance and controlling the movement as you hold for 1-2 seconds.
4. Shift back into a neutral position with equal weight distribution.
5. Repeat the process 10-20 times on each side.

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Exercise 5: Standing Glute Squeeze

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Standing Glute Squeeze Exercise Steps:

1. Use the back of a chair to help assist in balance.
2. Place your feet shoulder-width apart with equal weight on each foot.
3. Shift your body weight to the left side.
4. Allow your right leg to go diagonally backward.
5. Squeeze your right butt cheek.
6. Lower your leg and shift your weight back to equal distribution.
7. Repeat on the opposite leg.
8. Aim to repeat for 10 x on each leg.

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Exercise 6: Squat Hold

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Squat Hold Exercise Steps:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Lower your body as if you are sitting back in a chair.
3. Keep your back straight and knees behind your toes.
4. Hold and engage abdominal muscles.
5. Return to the starting position and repeat.
6. Perform squats throughout the day, aiming to accumulate 30 reps.

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Ready to conquer your goals for exercise and beyond? 

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As a physical therapist specializing in MS, my goal is to support anyone experiencing the symptoms of getting older, specifically when it comes to MS, on their journey to reclaiming independence. 

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While it's true that most of my resources are geared toward those dealing with MS, I hope you now see that exercise doesn't have to be rigorous to make a difference in your strength. Small movements practiced regularly can be more effective than exercising for long periods a few times a week.

Remember, consistency is key, and every bit of effort counts towards maintaining and improving your mobility and independence.