As we age, getting onto and off of the floor can become a more difficult task. A loss of lower extremity strength, upper extremity strength, and core strength may negatively affect our ability to move around on the floor and return to standing from the floor. Floor mobility is important for activities of daily living, including playing with your grandchildren, cleaning tasks, or reaching an item that fell under the bed. Moving from the floor to standing is also an important skill to work on if you have impaired balance and are at a greater risk of falling.
The video below presents some exercises that can be performed to improve your floor mobility:
The video above includes some of the following exercises:
PLANKS: Forward and side planks with movement are good ways to strengthen your core and shoulders. Core and shoulder strength is important for helping to roll and push your body onto your knees or feet when trying to stand from the floor.
SIT-TO-STANDS & LUNGES: These exercises can improve your ability to squat and lunge, stand from various surfaces, including the floor, and perform stairs.
If you are interested in other tips and exercises to improve your balance and decrease your risk of falling, see our previous blog posts here:
EXERCISES TO IMPROVE BALANCE & TRANSFERS
If you find that you have extreme difficulty returning from standing from the floor, a visit to a physical therapist may be appropriate to work on other lower level strengthening exercises and floor mobility techniques.
