As we get older, finding effective and low-risk ways to exercise can become much more challenging. The best pedal exerciser for elderly people provides a safe, low impact form of exercise which improves joint mobility, blood circulation, muscle tone and cardiovascular fitness, and can be done at home or at work.
What Is a Pedal Exerciser for Elderly People?
A pedal exerciser for elderly people is a device, usually lightweight and portable, which is made up of bike pedals on a stationary platform. It often features adjustable resistance which can be varied to change your exertion levels and build strength and fitness.
A pedal exerciser for elderly people provides a low-impact form of cardiovascular exercise which can also strengthen your legs and arms. This form of exercise improves circulation, tones muscles, improves joint health and burns calories.
Who Needs a Pedal Exerciser?
A pedal exerciser can be beneficial for people of all ages, especially seniors. A pedal exerciser can be used for physical therapy and rehabilitation after an injury or operation, to strengthen weak or sedentary muscles, and to improve cardiovascular fitness and blood circulation throughout the body. It can also be useful if you’re returning to exercise after a lengthy break, as it’s both a low impact and low risk form of exercise which is safer for your musculoskeletal system.
How do I Choose the Best Pedal Exerciser for Elderly People?
It’s always best to first consult with a medical professional about which form of exercise is most suitable for your situation and needs, especially if you’re recovering from surgery or an injury.
Pedal exercisers for elderly people have a variety of features for you to choose from. Many offer different tension or resistance levels, so you’re able to vary the intensity of your exercise and adjust this accordingly. Some models offer a battery powered display which shows various readings like time elapsed, distance travelled, calories burned and revolutions per minute, which is great if you’re wanting to keep track of your exercising.
Many pedal exercisers for the elderly feature straps on the pedals for added security, rubber grips on the base of the product to prevent slipping, and some offer a strap which can be used to secure the product to the chair you’re sitting on. Some models fold up to make it easier for you to transport or store them, while others feature a handle to help make it easier for you to move them.
What Is the Best Way to Use a Pedal Exerciser?
The best way to use a pedal exerciser is to sit on a chair or sofa, place the product in front of you and put your feet onto the pedals. If the pedal exerciser has different resistance levels, select the one that best suits your needs and ability. Then you just need to start pedaling!
Even at a low-resistance level, a pedal exerciser for elderly people will help to improve your mobility, strengthen your muscles and increase both heart rate and circulation. It’s also possible to place the pedal exerciser on a desk or table and use it to effectively exercise your arms.
A medical or fitness professional will be able to advise you best on how long you should pedal for and how often, depending on your age, fitness level and any musculoskeletal issues you may have. The following video shows a demonstration of how to use a pedal exerciser for elderly:
What Are the Features and Benefits of a Pedal Exerciser for Elderly People?
As I previously mentioned, pedal exercisers have numerous features. Varying the resistance of the product allows you to build strength, improve your cardiovascular fitness, change the intensity of your exercise, and build your way up to more challenging tasks.
Some pedal exercisers feature LED displays, which allow you to keep track of distance covered and time taken, as well as revolutions per minute and calories burned. Built-in straps to keep your hands and feet safely on the pedals, rubber non slip grips on the feet of the product, and straps to attach the product to the chair you’re sitting on all help to ensure a safe, secure and low risk method of exercising.
There are numerous benefits of low-impact cardiovascular exercise from using a pedal exerciser. Research has shown that regular low-impact, moderate-intensity exercise in older adults improves aerobic fitness and leg strength, as well as energy and enthusiasm levels. It’s been discovered that exercise for elderly people, even at a low intensity, can help with weight loss, improve overall general health, reduce the risk of diseases like breast and colon cancer, osteoarthritis and heart disease, and increase longevity.
What Is the Best Pedal Exerciser for Elderly People?
With so many different products to choose from, finding the best pedal exerciser for elderly people can be a difficult task. We’ve done all of the hard work for you by selecting five of the most popular models currently available, and evaluating each of them on features, quality and value for money.
Our Choice
After evaluating five of the best pedal exercisers for elderly, our preferred choice is the BodyHealt Pre-Assembled Fold Up Leg Exerciser. It’s lightweight but also sturdy, comes pre-assembled and ready to use, and functions quietly.
The rubber grips on the base of the pedal exerciser effectively prevent it from moving around, which was an issue with both the Vaunn and Platinum Fitness exercisers. Both of these products also had manufacturing issues which negatively affected their overall quality such as squeaking, overheating parts and jerky movement of the pedals.
Both the Sunny Health and Fitness and the DeskCycle exercisers had features which weren’t particularly necessary or useful for elderly users, such as the LED displays and high resistance levels. These products were also considerably heavier for elderly people to move around, the designs were less portable, and they were a lot more expensive than the simpler models.
The combination of effectiveness, value for money, portability and the most useful features for elderly users makes the BodyHealt Pre-Assembled Fold Up Leg Exerciser our choice for the best pedal exerciser for elderly people currently available.
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