Low impact exercise can lead to better health

For many people, a new year brings new fitness goals. Targeting your goals with the right exercise program is the key to keeping those resolutions. For those of us who desire or need a low impact option, it can be difficult wading through the possibilities. I'll go over some of the more popular products here and who might benefit most from each. Always consult with your physician before starting any exercise program.

The Most Basic Exercise of All

Everyone knows that walking is the most basic exercise in the world. It's a great start for those who can walk fast enough to ensure the elevated heart rate needed for weight loss, but there are many benefits you can gain even if you have to take it slow. Walking can be hard for many however, due to weight, age, injuries or location and temperature. For those who need something indoors or have other goals than simple weight loss, there's a world of options available. In this newsletter I'll go over low impact resistance, inversion, vibration and passive exercises.

Low Impact Resistance

Resistance exercises are great for a person who either can't handle more high impact movements or who doesn't want to deal with the potential injuries they can cause. Some of these are recommended by physical therapists for rehabilitation purposes.

The most popular by far is The Resistance Chair, which creates a complete system at home. While sitting in the seat you can exercise your back, arms, chest, abdomen, shoulders and legs using tough cables that come in a variety of weight levels. It comes with a health step to add in a stepping routine and is meant for mobility, smooth resistance, safety, increased muscle and joint strength, better flexibility and improved balance. By adding a mini bike you can include a cardio workout, and the optional Freedom Flex is perfect for rehabilitating a shoulder joint.

Medical protocols for the Resistance Chair include shoulder pain, osteoporosis, elbow pain, lumbar stenosis, knee arthritis, core stabilization and frozen shoulder. I used it as my sole exercise routine while I recovered from Achilles tendinitis. It is a great option for anyone needing physical therapy, seniors, people with injuries or someone who just wants an easy and affordable exercise option at home.

Aside from the Resistance Chair, many people will choose an ergometer. These are typically used specifically with physical therapy patients and you should always follow your therapist’s directions. There are units for shoulder work, upper body work or upper and lower body exercise.

Inversion Therapy

Inversion uses anti-gravity decompression to help relieve back pain, reduce stress on the body and increase oxygen to the brain. By inverting you can help your body remove toxins, relieve anxiety, increase energy and improve lymphatic drainage. The spine will decompress, discs will be rehydrated, nerve pressure is reduced, muscles are relaxed and the weight bearing skeleton can be realigned. Users often report better range of motion and joint flexibility.

Some inversion tables allow you to do exercises while inverted (using Gravity Boots), building core muscles while you experience the benefits of inverting. There are options for a wide range of needs, from the EZ Up system that can be used for inversion, pull-ups or weight lifting, to the heavy duty XL power tables. Several tables allow you to hang by your knees while others allow you to hang by the ankles from comfortable holders. It's important to determine what you're comfortable with.

Vibration Exercise

You may have heard about Whole Body Vibration recently due to its popularity among celebrities and athletes. Medical facilities, elite training operations and Olympic and sport teams are currently using WBV units.

In essence, you would stand on the unit which produces vibrations that travel through the body, causing a repeated stretch reflex in your muscles. At low frequencies this can help relax the body while at higher frequencies you can get intense muscle contractions without a lot of discomfort. Multiple muscle groups are activated, helping to improve strength, power, performance, range of motion and flexibility. Research has shown that stress hormones drop while growth hormone product increases.

Vibration training is used in space to greatly reduce muscle wasting in astronauts. It can help improve lymphatic circulation and develop leaner muscle and better body tone. It's been shown to build bone density, decrease cellulite, boost natural collagen production, decrease blood pressure, increase your basal metabolic rate, reduce back pain, decrease recovery time after workouts and heighten your sense of balance.

The motion is well tolerated by a wide range of people and is technically low impact, but it is not recommended for those with knee or hip replacements. As with any fitness routine, you should always consult with your healthcare provider.

Passive Exercising

If you have low back pain or really cannot take high impact exercise, passive exercisers like a swing machine may be beneficial for you. You lie down and place your ankles on the machine, which produces motion for you. As it swings side to side, oxygen is moved through your system more effectively, helping to improve metabolism, relieve tension and align the spine. Some users have reported a decrease in fluid retention in the feet and lessening of varicose veins.

Swing machines are meant to stretch and relax your back muscles, burn calories, move blood and toxins to your digestive tract for easier elimination, break up plaque in the intestines and relieve tension in the shoulders and neck. Daily use could give your immune system a jump start.

Attaining the Total Package

No fitness routine is going to be as effective as it could be without a reduction in harmful intake. Diet sodas, too much sugar and out of control portions destroy lives and cause fatigue, illness and disease. Even by just eliminating diet sodas (which contain aspartame, a harmful sweetener linked to a variety of problems) and greatly reducing or eliminating sugar could give your body the boost it needs to start on the journey to optimal health. Combining a healthier diet with an exercise routine you enjoy can create radical beneficial changes in your life.

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