True art of living - gymnastics for seniors in bed

Older people who have to lie in bed for a long time quickly lose their mobility and lose muscle. You can easily prevent this with a few exercises.

The exercises presented in our True art of living: relaxation for seniors in a sitting position The progressive muscle relaxation (PMS) and autogenic training exercises presented in our article can also be done comfortably while lying down. Although PMS has a relaxing effect, it also trains the muscles at the same time through the targeted muscle tension.

The "calf pump" exercise presented in the second part of this article is not strenuous and gets the blood circulation in the legs going. Every bedridden person should therefore pump at least three times a day.

Gymnastics that require movement are much more strenuous than exercises that require little movement. For this reason, let your doctor decide whether the exercises described in detail in part two are suitable for you:

• Recumbent cycling
• Arm lifts
• Sitting exercises

It is better to choose other exercises if you have back problems or are recovering from an injury. A local physiotherapist will be able to design an exercise programme that suits your condition.

As with all gymnastics, only regular practice will bring remarkable success. Therefore, plan about 10 to 20 minutes for training three times a day.

Familiarise yourself with each exercise so that you can do it at any time without reading up. It is important that you do not interrupt each session. A session is defined as ten repetitions of an exercise. You can then take a break until you start the next exercise.

With this exercise you strengthen the calf muscles and prevent venous disorders. The calf pump is the perfect workout to prevent blood congestion in the legs. The exercise noticeably relieves the legs. By the way: the calf pump is also important for younger people who have to sit a lot.

• Lie on your back with your legs stretched out.
• Now stretch out your feet and make them long.
• Move your toes towards your body. The feet are at right angles to the legs.

Unlike the gymnastic exercise "cycling", you do not go into the candle, but remain relaxed on your back with your legs stretched out. The movements you perform strengthen the calf muscles.

• Bend the right knee but keep the heel on the mattress. It must be in contact with the mattress all the time.
• Concentrate on bringing the heel as close as possible to the buttocks. Caution: Do not lift the foot.
• Slowly extend the right leg.
• Now do the same movement with the left leg.
• The session is completed when you have done it ten times with both legs.

This exercise strengthens the arm muscles. At the same time it is a good breathing exercise.

• You lie on your back with your arms loosely beside your body.
• Now raise both arms and inhale simultaneously.
• When you exhale, lower your arms again.

Seniors who are allowed to sit up in bed can add these exercises to their daily exercise programme. It is enough to sit on the edge of the bed and let the legs dangle out of bed. Getting up is superfluous.

The first exercise is perfect when the body is still very weak. It can be easily adjusted according to strength.

• Sit upright on the edge of the bed, legs hanging out of the bed, feet on the floor.
• Angle both arms, the upper arms are close to the torso, the forearms are at right angles to the front and the thumbs point upwards.
• Now perform movements as if you wanted to chop wood with the edges of your hands.

Increase: stretch the arms and perform the movement with the whole arm.

The second exercise requires a little more strength, concentration and coordination.

• Sit on the edge of the bed as described.
• Place your right hand on your left knee with your arm stretched out.
• Look at this hand and do not take your eyes off it.
• Raise the hand until it is above the right ear.
• Lower the arm and perform the adequate movement with the left hand.

To stand firmly in life again, the thighs also need strength. The following exercise is ideal for this.

• Sit on the edge of the bed with your legs hanging loosely out of the bed or your feet flat on the floor.
• Now stretch your right leg and lift it up. The lower leg should be in line with the upper leg.
• Lower the leg and repeat the exercise with the left leg.

Increase: Hold each leg up for five to ten seconds and stretch the toes towards the body.

The prescribed bed rest should give your body the opportunity to recover. This means resting, but still maintaining the functions of the organism. If you regularly do only some of the exercises described, you will recover more quickly. The advantage of bed exercises is that you can quickly stand on your own feet again without help.
The advantage of bed exercises is that you can quickly stand on your own two feet again without help, because the muscles remain strong enough despite bed rest.
Take advantage of this opportunity, because you will certainly want to take part in life in the world again as soon as possible.