Make a conscious effort to maintain your physical capacity and range of motion as you age, aiming to keep your ‘physical hallway’ wide open so you can continue to engage in desired physical activities.
Spend time sitting on the floor in various positions (e.g., crisscross applesauce, long sit, 90-90, kneeling) for about 30 minutes a day, perhaps while watching TV or working from home, to expose your hips and body to different positions and improve hip range of motion.
Regularly practice getting up and down off the floor to improve your overall mobility and capacity, which is essential for tasks like the sit and rise test.
Test your mobility by performing the sit and rise test: from a crisscross applesauce position, lower yourself to the ground and then stand back up without using your arms or putting your knee down. This provides a simple snapshot into how well you’re going to move into the future.
If experiencing low back pain, focus on improving breathing, increasing daily walking, and mobilizing your hips, as these are key components in a physical therapist’s strategy for addressing this common issue.
Be conscious and intentional about incorporating activities that expose your body to its full range of motion, as daily routines often prevent reaching these ranges naturally.
Actively work to maintain mobility over a longer period of time, as this can prevent stress about injuries or setbacks and allow you to continue doing physical activities you enjoy as you age.
Use external information (like podcasts or books) to enrich conversations with physical therapists or other healthcare providers, fostering a more relationship-oriented and less transactional interaction.
If concerned about falling or struggling with the sit and rise test, scale the practice by first lowering yourself to a chair or coffee table, gradually working towards the floor to improve movement capacity.
Begin sitting on the floor for even five minutes, using a cushion if needed, as the primary goal is exposure to the positions, which signals to your brain that these positions are safe and valued.
Feel free to explore different floor sitting positions, including leaning against a couch, as the key is to expose your body to fundamental positions and shapes rather than adhering to a strict ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way.
Define mobility as the ability to move your body freely through your environment without pain and to do the physical activities you desire, using this definition to guide your personal fitness goals.
Utilize simple tests, like those in the ‘Built to Move’ book, to gain information about your body’s current state and engage in ‘care and feeding’ practices to maintain range of motion for all physical activities.