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Climbing out of a car , getting up from the toilet , and arising from the couch are daily movements many of us take for granted . For an elder , these movements can mean the difference between living in one ’ s own home or moving to an assisted-living facility . The squatting movement might be the most important for maintaining functional independence into one ’ s later years . A basic squat routine can significantly extend one ’ s ability to call the shots and maneuver through daily life without assistance .

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TO PERFORM

STAND WITH YOUR FEET SHOULDER-WIDTH APART .

TOES SHOULD BE EXTERNALLY ROTATED AT A 20-30 DEGREE ANGLE .

LOWER YOUR BUTTOCKS BY BENDING AT THE KNEES INTO A SQUAT POSITION .

BE SURE NOT TO EXTEND YOUR KNEES TOO FAR OVER YOUR ANKLES . YOUR KNEE-GLUTE ANGLE SHOULD ROUGHLY PARALLEL YOUR HEAD-LUMBAR SPINE ANGLE .

PUT YOUR ARMS STRAIGHT OUT IN FRONT TO HELP YOU BALANCE .

SLOWLY RETURN TO THE STANDING POSITION BY SQUEEZING YOUR GLUTE MUSCLES .

As a chiropractor , I frequently observe a singular type of spinal deterioration in the elderly , particularly in men : the loss of the lumbar curve . As a result of this lost curvature , patients demonstrate decreased ability to extend their lower spine . Loss of lower-back flexibility has the trickle-down effects of weakening the core , placing undue stress on the hip- and lowback musculature , and driving postural distortions further up the spine that can result in cognitive decline . Becoming that hunched , bent-over elder is not just a problem of aesthetics ; it can impact your whole physiology . Immobility and loss of power in the shoulders are also common problems for the elderly . A senior ’ s inability to reach for dishes on a high shelf , or to lift luggage into an overhead bin , is typically a direct result of this loss of strength and movement in the shoulder . The overhead ball-throw addresses these problems , as well as engaging the core , lumbar flexibility , and upper- and lower-body power . This ball-throw is one of the most multifunctional exercises you can perform .

TO PERFORM

STAND HOLDING A MEDICINE- OR POWER BALL OF LOW-TO-MODERATE WEIGHT . ( YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO EASILY LIFT THIS BALL OVERHEAD .)

TAKE A STEP FORWARD AS YOU RAISE THE BALL OVERHEAD .

USING POWER AND MOMENTUM , DRIVE THE BALL FROM ABOVE YOUR HEAD INTO A WALL (“ WALL BALLS ”), OR HURL THE BALL ONTO THE GROUND IN FRONT OF YOU .

SQUAT TO RETRIEVE THE BALL , THEN REPEAT .

PERFORM AT LEAST TEN REPETITIONS . ALTERNATE YOUR FORWARD LEG AFTER FIVE REPETITIONS .

VARIATIONS : CLOSE YOUR EYES AND PERFORM THE EXERCISE . ADD WEIGHT WITH A DUMBBELL

OR BARBELL BALANCED ACROSS YOUR SHOULDERS . A MORE ADVANCED VARIATION TO TRY IS THE PISTOL SQUAT , WITH ONE LEG STRETCHED OUT IN FRONT OF YOU AS YOU DESCEND INTO THE SQUAT .

RESOURCES

1 Rothschild JM , Bates DW , Leape LL . “ Preventable Medical Injuries In Older Patients .” Arch Intern Med 160.18 ( 2000 ): 2717-2728 . http :// jamanetwork . com / journals / jamainternalmedicine / fullarticle / 485472 2 “ Side Plank : The Best Abs Move You ’ re ( Probably ) Not Doing .” Coach Magazine . Dennis Publishing , 2017 . Web . http :// www . coachmag . co . uk / abs-workouts-and-exercises / 6340 / side-plank-the-best-abs-move-you-reprobably-not-doing 3 “ Benefits of Jumping Jacks .” Health Research Funding . National Health Council , 4 April 2014 . Web . 4 “ How to Squat with Proper Form : The Definitive Guide .” Stronglifts . Stronglifts , Ltd ., 30 July 2017 . Web . https :// stronglifts . com / squat /

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12 October 2017 Paleo Magazine Insider