Grab a chair for 20 ‘sit to stands’ per day (and, the slower the better!)

The ‘sit to stand’ exercise, also known as the ‘squat to stand’, cannot be any easier. This simple and quick exercise offers several benefits for overall health and well-being. It is used by many falls prevention programs for the elderly to minimise the risk of falling and hospital admissions for broken hips, fractured wrists and head injuries.

So, start today. Grab a sturdy chair (without arms is best) and place it up against the wall to stop any slippage. Starting in the seated position, stand slowly, taking a count of 3 to get up. Now return to your chair, but without dropping too fast ( taking the same count of 3 is suggested). Keep your weight balanced across your 2 legs, and keep your knees tracking straight ( knee caps running the line to your third toe). Feel the weight shift back into your hips and heels on the way down, and you should start to notice the work in your thigh and hip muscles as you repeat this move. Can you achieve 20 per day?

Any pain? Please stop and see your physio.

The benefits

• Strength, stability and power. The ‘sit to stand’ exercise primarily targets the muscles in your lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Regularly performing this exercise can help improve leg strength, stability, and power.

• Enhances functional fitness. As a functional exercise, the ‘sit to stand’ movement mimics the action of standing up from a seated position, which is a common daily activity. By practicing this exercise, you improve your ability to perform this movement more efficiently, making it easier to carry out daily tasks such as getting out of a chair, getting up from the floor, or climbing stairs.

• Promotes joint mobility. This exercise involves bending and extending the knees and hips, which helps improve joint mobility and flexibility. It can be particularly beneficial for maintaining or increasing range of motion in these areas.

• Boosts core stability. While performing your ‘sit to stands’, your core muscles, including the abdominals and lower back muscles, are engaged to maintain stability and proper posture. This exercise can contribute to developing a strong and stable core.

• Improves balance and coordination. This challenges your balance and coordination as you transition between sitting and standing positions. Consistent practice can enhance your proprioception (body awareness) and balance control, essential to prevent falls and speeding up your reflexes.

• Supports bone health. Weight-bearing exercises like the ‘sit to stand’ exercise help promote bone density and strength. Regular participation in such exercises can potentially reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.

• Increases calorie expenditure. The ‘sit to stand’ exercise involves multiple large muscle groups, making it a compound movement that can increase calorie expenditure. Incorporating this exercise into your routine can contribute to weight management and overall calorie burn.

• Suitable for various fitness levels. This is the perfect exercise to suit different fitness levels and abilities. Beginners can start with a higher seat or use assistance, such as holding onto a stable surface, while those with more strength and mobility can gradually progress to lower seats to perform the exercise without assistance.

• Convenient and accessible. One of the advantages of this exercise is that it can be performed virtually anywhere with a chair or surface of appropriate height. It requires minimal equipment and can be easily incorporated into a home exercise routine or incorporated into daily activities.

 Photo by Jean-Philippe Delberghe on Unsplash

Maintaining balance and preventing falls is a complicated and well-tuned machine. Balance involves a combination of sensory input, muscular control, and coordination. There are many ‘systems’ at play, and all must be in good working order to prevent those falls and to improve movement efficiency as we go about our day (or even if we are a sportsman or woman striving for that extra edge). 

Here are those key systems, keeping us safe on our feet.

• Vision. Our eyes provide visual cues about our surroundings, allowing us to detect changes in our environment and adjust our balance accordingly.

• Vestibular System. Located in the inner ear, the vestibular system detects changes in head position and movement, helping us maintain equilibrium.

• Proprioception. This refers to the body’s ability to sense the position and movement of our limbs. Proprioceptors are found in our muscles, joints, and tendons, providing feedback to the brain about body position and helping us adjust accordingly.

• Muscular Strength. Strong muscles, particularly in the core, legs, and ankles, play a vital role in maintaining balance. These muscles provide stability and support to keep us upright.

• Coordination. The ability to coordinate movement and make adjustments in response to sensory information is crucial for balance. This includes the smooth integration of muscles, joints, and sensory systems.

• Posture. Good posture distributes our body weight evenly, reducing strain on specific areas and helping us maintain balance more effectively.

• Attention and Concentration. Being mindful of our surroundings and maintaining focus can help us anticipate and react to potential balance disruptions.

• Adaptive Strategies. When faced with challenging or uneven terrain, our body uses adaptive strategies such as widening our base of support, using handrails, or making quick adjustments to maintain stability.

It is good to know that balance and it’s complex systems can be ‘exercised’ to see improvements. The simple ‘sit to stand’ exercise is a great and easy example of this. Your physiotherapist can offer you many more fun balance exercises if you are struggling and feel you are a little shaky on your feet.

 Photo by Ksenia on Unsplash

The magic of our fabulous fascia

Muscle fascia, also known as fascia or myofascia, refers to a type of connective tissue that surrounds and separates muscles and other structures in the body. It is a fibrous, sheet-like structure composed primarily of collagen, a strong protein that provides support and structure to tissues. It forms a continuous network throughout the body, enveloping muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and organs, creating a unified system. Did you know that every single muscle, blood vessel and organ has its own wrap of fascia holding it in place? There is heaps of this stuff in our bodies.  

When we move, our myofascia has to move too. Fascia can become restricted due to various factors like trauma, repetitive stress, inflammation, or poor posture. These restrictions may lead to pain, reduced flexibility, and movement dysfunction. It can be considered that your fascia needs to be flexible and free, for you and your movements to feel flexible and free.

So, why do we have fascia?

• Structural, joint and postural support. Fascia provides structural integrity to the body, helping to maintain the shape and alignment of muscle, joints and other tissues. You can think of myofascial ‘slings’ that link parts of your body and offer support. A well known one is the posterior sling that connects your lats ( back of your shoulder joints) to the lower back and glutes. 

• Force transmission. Fascia acts as a conduit for transmitting forces generated by muscles to other parts of the body, allowing coordinated movement.

• Protection. Fascia protects underlying structures, such as muscles,organs, blood vessels, and nerves, from external impact and friction by wrapping around them.

Techniques like myofascial release ( a specialised modality of massage), massage, and stretching are commonly used to address fascial restrictions and restore optimal tissue function.