One of the losses we suffer as we age is the decline of fundamental motor skills. Those are the skills we learned as children: running, jumping, galloping, hopping, twirling, skipping, catching and throwing. These form a library of skills which build a solid physical literacy but diminish as we age if we do not maintain the use of them due to our habits.
Over time, an adult’s physical literacy may fluctuate or diminish, depending on factors such as aging, active or inactive lifestyle, health status, participation in sports, regular physical activities, workplace demands and work environments, daily habits and preferred interests.
Daily living may become difficult: physical or mobility impairments and physical challenges which can occur if a person is faced with bone, joint or muscle injuries, or other medical conditions or illnesses at any stage of adulthood.
Having good physical literacy can help people maintain their independence and make physical adaptations when facing the challenges that come with aging. It is never too late to regain some of these skills and re-create an old habit as your brain is constantly creating new neuropathways.
Using positive language and laughter around physical activity and about one’s ability to do the physical skill or movement is important in developing or maintaining self-confidence and physical and mental literacy.
Some of the skills you may want to incorporate into your daily régime of exercise, such as baseball, badminton, basketball, soccer, tennis, and pickle ball, involve skills such as, catching, throwing, kicking, and rolling a ball. Try overhand throwing, underhand throwing, passing & receiving, and dribbling.
Start tapping into your child-like playfulness by skipping rope, jumping in rain puddles, catching frogs, throwing a beach ball around, and always remember to laugh while engaging in the activity.
For Stability & Balance: try twirling around in circles like helicopter seeds from a maple tree. Spin left to right on a soft surface such as grass, on a sandy beach or on carpet to protect yourself from injury if you lose your balance. Stop if you get dizzy and laugh.
To increase your balance and strengthen the six meridians running down your legs: Stand on one leg like a stork with your eyes closed and arms down by your sides. Make sure you have a chair in front of you to help keep your balance.
Remember to laugh at yourself to help maintain a positive attitude.
Laughter is the best medicine, next to chocolate, but that’s another story!
With playful heart,
Kathryn
Disclaimer from www.LaughYourselfHealthy.ca: This is not intended to be a substitute for personal medical care and advice. You should always consult a healthcare professional about any health condition before starting any therapy and health program.