Strength and balance was the focus of the penultimate walk, held by Salford Community Leisure as part of the Salford Walking Festival. This walk was hosted in the beautiful RHS Garden Bridgewater in Worsley; a real jewel in the crown of Salford’s many parks and green spaces. Not only is good strength and balance vital to maintaining independence and aging well, but this walk was perfectly timed to follow Healthy Aging Month, which is observed throughout September.
Led by Jo Bennett and Lucy Reynolds from Salford Community Leisure’s Active Lifestyles Team, the session offered participants free access to the stunning gardens, as well as a gentle one-hour walk designed to help people increase their physical activity and improve mental wellbeing. The walk was interspersed with short breaks. Each break focused on a different strength or balance exercise. The participants were advised on how to complete the exercises safely and provided with modifications, where necessary, meaning there was an option to suit all mobility levels. The walk gave participants a real insight into how maintaining these key areas can support independence and confidence as we age.
Building and maintaining strength throughout life is important for both physical and mental health. It also improves physical function. Muscle strength begins to decline after the age of 30. However, by taking part in strengthening exercise at least twice a week, you can build better baselines and resilience, and protect against a multitude of health conditions that could lead to a gradual loss of functional independence. In addition to the long term protective effects of strength training, short term benefits include; improved sleep, energy, mood, immune function and so much more (Ashley Gluchowski, 2024). It’s never too late to start or to improve our strength.
The focus of this Wellbeing Walk was to give walkers practical tips on how to combine strengthening exercises into everyday activities. Towards the end of the walk, Jo and Lucy gave a practical demonstration on how to safely get up following a fall. This skill can make a vital difference to safety and fall recovery. They highlighted how regularly practicing strength and balance exercises, greatly decreases the risk of falling. Also how these exercises increase the ability to move confidently, and recover if a fall does occur.
National data shows that around 30% of people aged 65 and over fall at least once a year. This figure rises to 50% among those aged 80 and over. Between 2019 and 2020, there were 234,800 emergency hospital admissions in England related to falls among people aged 65 and over alone.
Falls can cause pain, injury, fear, loss of confidence, depression, and loss of independence. Thankfully, Jo and Lucy demonstrated on the walk how building strength and balance can reduce these risks and help older adults stay active and independent for longer. The event worked as a powerful reminder that even small, regular bouts of movement can have a big impact on long-term health and quality of life at all ages.
Following the walk, one participant commented,
Everyone really enjoyed the session. It was great to be given leaflets at the end of the walk so we can practice the exercises at home, too! All of the staff were absolutely wonderful.
Another added,
It was a great walk in a lovely setting; looking at the flowers and learning more about strength and balance exercises. What a terrific day! I’d definitely recommend it.
Although this was a one-off event, held as part of the Salford Walking Festival, Salford Community Leisure’s Active Lifestyles team host regular, free weekly Wellbeing Walks from various locations across the city. These walks are 1 hour in length, at a brisk, continuous pace. All of the walks are led by our volunteers. There are also informal walks that meet at Monton, Boothstown and Blackleach Country Park each week. These walks are open to everyone and offer a great opportunity to stay active, meet new people, improve wellbeing and enjoy the outdoors.
Jo’s advice when it comes to Wellbeing Walks?
Our walks cover greenspaces, parks, canals, looplines and urban areas of Salford…Wear flat grippy shoes or trainers, suitable clothing for the weather and bring some water. No booking or special equipment is required. Just arrive 10min before the walk is due to start.
To find out more about the Salford Wellbeing Walks, visit:
👉 salfordcommunityleisure.co.uk/be-active/active-lifestyles/wellbeing-walks
Sign up to the Salford Community Leisure mailing list and be the first to find out about our latest news, offers and forthcoming events across our services.
