Exercise with limitations
| Author: Judy Kohn, RN, BSN, CDE |
| Last Updated: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 |
Q: "Can you recommend exercises for people with limited mobility? I have a bad knee and back problems, and I cannot walk very far. All I ever read is how important it is to walk regularly but that is not an option for me."
A: It is true that many articles recommend walking as the best exercise for weight loss and health. But many people have physical limitations that make that difficult or impossible to do.
Start with your healthcare team:
It is important to first contact your healthcare team to discuss your limitations and get their recommendations.
- For example, your team may advise you not to do certain types of exercise.
- More importantly, you may qualify for a physical therapy consultation to assess your situation and make specific recommendations. This is not always the case, but you won’t know until you ask.
Other options:
Once you have your healthcare team’s OK, and if you do not qualify for a physical therapy referral, there are other types of exercise you can consider.
- Exercise videos: You might enjoy exercising in your home under the guidance of a video. There are videos available to meet a variety of needs, including arm chair exercises. Be sure to check out the related links below for a few resources. For example, under the video link, I entered armchair in the search box and found videos on how to “sit and be fit”.
- Swimming or water aerobics: Water exercises are great for taking the stress off of joints. Many communities offer a variety of swimming programs and water exercise classes.
- Strength training: Doing resistance exercise--such as lifting weights or using exercise weight machines—can decrease insulin resistance and improve insulin sensitivity, while building strength, improving coordination and balance, controlling weight and blood glucose, and increasing your overall sense of well being. You can read specific examples and descriptions in the related answer below in the Exercise Guide.
- Yoga or Tai chi or low impact exercise classes: Many areas offer low-cost classes to meet a variety of needs. Places to look would be: the local YMCA, community centers, community colleges, local gyms, or other local organizations.
Conclusion: Even with physical limitations, there are exercises you can do. It is important to first start with your healthcare team to get their recommendations.
Related Questions
Q: Exercise Guide
"I know exercise is good for me but I just can’t get started. Can you give
me some tips?"
Related Links
Collage Video
http://www.collagevideo.com
Armchair fitness
http://www.armchairfitness.com/
Important Notice: The responses provided by the team of Diabetes Educators are based on their personal experiences and expertise as practicing diabetes healthcare professionals, and are not to be considered diabetes management advice from Abbott Laboratories. Remember that information provided by the team of Diabetes Educators is for general background purposes and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment by a trained professional. You should always consult your physician about any healthcare questions you may have, especially before trying a new medication, diet, fitness program, or approach to healthcare issues.
All tradenames and trademarks not owned by Abbott Laboratories are the property of their respective owners. For details on tradenames and trademarks and their respective owners, visit the non-Abbott trademarks listing.
