3
Staying active
and
on your feet
Activities which are particularly good
for balance and fexibility include:
• dancing
• gym sessions
• group exercise classes
• home exercises
• lawn bowls
• pilates
• Tai Chi
• yoga.
These types of activity have plenty of
benefts. They help keep your heart
strong, your blood pressure down, and
your weight down. By improving your
balance and strength, you reduce your
risk of falling and causing an injury or
breaking a bone. And they keep you
active enough to do the things you want
to do, whether that be getting out of the
chair easily or maintaining the garden.
Try to mix up the activities—this will
exercise different muscles and helps keep
you interested. You don’t have to do it all
in one go—being active in 10–15 minute
slots during the day works just as well.
Age is no barrier—research shows that
any exercise, at any age, is worth the
effort. If you are in any doubt about
exercises, please talk to your doctor.
By improving your
balance and strength,
you reduce your risk of
falling and causing an
injury or breaking
a bone.