ADLs are the routine activities essential for living independently. These activities range from tasks like dressing, transfers, functional mobility to eating, bathing, and grooming, and the like. Patients who face challenges while performing basic self-care tasks, specifically older adults, may be because of decreased activity level tolerance; or a functional decline from a recent injury, chronic disease, or hospitalization.
Exercises to Improve Ability to Perform ADLs
Functional fitness training, neuromuscular control, and ADL exercises done under the guidance of occupational therapists and physical therapists can noticeably improve performance with Activities of Daily Living. Specialized equipment is not necessary to have in a physical therapy therapeutic exercise program. Instead, therapists concentrate on exercise intensity and functional movements to gain positive results.
Range of Motion and Stretching Exercises
Range of motion within tolerable limits is essential to improve flexibility and mobility in joints to perform tasks like personal hygiene and getting dressed. Stretching is furthermore good to include in your functional training to reduce muscle tension and improve flexibility.
These various motion exercises you should be focused on to improve basic ADLs are:
Shoulder flexion/extension.
Shoulder internal rotation/external rotation.
Hip flexion/extension.
Knee flexion/extension.
Hand and wrist mobility.
Elbow flexion/extension.
Ankle dorsi flexion/plantar flexion.
Proper form while performing stretching exercises will allow for improving your physical ability to complete daily tasks.
Muscle Strengthening Exercises
Strength exercises and training are crucial for increasing muscle strength. Muscle mass normally starts decreasing more quickly in older adults who do not exercise regularly. To improve muscle strength, it is recommended to use resistance bands and weights; then gradually increase the same as the patient starts to show progress. Oftentimes these can even be given as part of a HEP (Home Exercise Plan) with the assistance of a family member if appropriate.
Upper body strength exercises to improve ADLs are:
Bicep curls.
Shoulder front and lateral raises.
Overhead press.
Ball squeeze or gripper.
Chest press.
Rowing with theraband.
Push-ups.
Lower body strength exercises are:
Squats.
Forward lunges.
Side lunges.
Hip hinges.
Heel raises.
Leg press.
Bridges.
Endurance Exercises
All activities of daily living need endurance, especially functional mobility. Endurance centered physical therapy therapeutic exercise can allow for improving stamina and regulate breathing. Physical therapists and Occupational Therapists can use techniques like HIIT (high-intensity interval training) to improve endurance and physical activity levels. Here are some activities to include in your endurance training:
Marching.
Jumping jacks.
Windmills.
Walking at fast and slow speeds.
Boxing.
Sit-to-stand chair transfers.
Conclusion
The main goal of therapeutic exercise is to reduce pain and inflammation and improve range of motion and mobility in case you have an injury, are post-operative; or suffering a chronic condition. Each exercise within a training program works together to improve muscle and joint function and support overall healing. Most importantly, doing therapeutic exercises during recovery can decrease your chance of re-injury. To say in the conclusion, for reducing the risk of falls while performing Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), balance exercises are vital to include in your patient's exercise program.