A More Appropriate Exercise for Those of Us With Cripped Bodies

[jesse_the_k]

Yipes! I’m afraid I opened a can worms yesterday. Like many of you, I can’t do the sit-to-rise from crossed legs. I tried! Because I don’t have the balance, I wobbled a lot–and hurt my back. No more!

Instead, I’ll share some good advice my PT gave me about “sit to stand.”

As shown in the video below, sit to stand begins seated.

1. Spread feet as wide as your hips
2. Feet must be behind your knees: either tuck them back or scoot your butt forward
3. Clasp your hands
4. Nose over toes
5. Tighten your quads (front of upper thighs)
6. Push those quads to get vertical

Watch on YouTube

It’s great to be able to sit down and stand up without using my hands. This means I don’t put too much weight on my wrists or arthritic fingers. My PT stepped me through this technique, which minimizes the strain on my lower back and strengthens the quads. It’s especially helpful in reverse. Before I built up strength in my quads, I would just plop down in my chair. That jarred my back and caused more pain. Now I’m doing sit-to-stand with a “tap”–that is, I sit but don’t rest, then stand again. (I do it 3 times, several times a day.) With stronger quads I can control how I lower myself into my chair.

Comments

[phi]

Oh my goodness. I can't stand from crossed legs either and I consider myself at least somewhat athletic!

[jesse_the_k]

Yeah, I got a little excited and boom!

Another fucking growth opportunity, as they say.

Thank you!

[dialecticdreamer]

I can never tell what my body is doing relative to the instructions from the PT, so the VISUAL really, really helped.

Crap proprioception, worse balance, and other stuff conflate to mean that I don't move nearly enough!

Re: Thank you!

[jesse_the_k]

I'm so glad it's helpful. I have shit proprioception as well, and my PT helpfully films and talks me thru my exercises so I have something to watch at home.

Re: Thank you!

[executrix]

I don't know if it's "available to you" as the teacher says like a million times each lesson, but if you can find a class or videos about Feldenkrais and your health care team clears you, Feldenkrais is, like, Proprioception Central. I take a class each week and a lot of the other students have health challenges and the theme is doing only what's appropriate for you so I'd suggest checking it out.

[rydra_wong]

Thank you very much for posting this! I was feeling guilty about having inadvertently encouraged people to overdo it ...

Also, yay Six Physio! I am a former client of their IRL, after I Lisfranc-ed my foot. I didn't know they have a YouTube channel and it looks like they have lots of goodies.

Also I will note that the "sit to stand" off a chair like this has been taught as a stepping-stone towards squatting with perfect form. It's a very good thing.

[jesse_the_k]

No worries! Thanks for the boost, and I'm glad to get the r_w seal of approval.

[jesse_the_k]

Six Physio's videos are great! They take the time to get rid of visual distractions, and show enough of the body that I can comprehend the instructions.

I was struck by how many PT videos were ads + lectures + 90 seconds of content, while 6P's get right to the point.

I’m glad that’s typical of them.

[wordweaverlynn]

This is unbelievably helpful. Thanks.

[jesse_the_k]

So glad to be helpful!

[lilacsigil]

I taught myself to do this because of arthritic hands and wrists and it was extremely helpful! Good to see it posted to help other people.

[jesse_the_k]

<3

[kore]

Oh, this is really good, thank you (I have problems with wrist/elbow/shoulder joints).

[jesse_the_k]

Sorry to hear about the problems, and hope this helps a little!

[rydra_wong]

Completely forgot to say it, but I hope your back is better soon!

[jesse_the_k]

All good now. Five straight days of WisCon glee unkinked me, so to speak.

[rydra_wong]

Yay for the healing powers of glee!

[replyhazy]

Incidentally, "sit to stand" is also in Strong Women Stay Young.

[jesse_the_k]

Somehow I'd forgotten that book. Looks like its worth has even been validated by Studies!

https://projects.ncsu.edu/ffci/publications/2012/v17-n2-2012-summer-fall/spencer-sant-hampton-lanting-liddil-lockard-peutz-wittman-woffinden-raidl.php