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Have you looked into any programs that offer guided exercises or PT for older adults?
I've been doing some of the exercises recommended by this physiotherapist and have found them to be quite helpful. I was starting to feel like the stairs were getting a bit tougher to manage, but as soon as I started some of the exercises I noticed a significant change in how I climbed the stairs.
Yikes @steve-miller . These incidents are definitely a wake-up call. Glad it wasn't worse.
I was thinking about trying to get a cabinet down from the second floor by myself by sliding it down the stairs on its side.
Think I'll call a nice strapping young neighbor over to help me...or maybe two strapping young neighbors to do it for me....
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@adagiom - here's the info. Shrey Vazir is a physiotherapist; I'm on his mailing list and get an email once a week. Here's the one about getting up off the floor.
I basically never talk about my grandma in these emails.
But she taught me one of the most important lessons about aging, mobility, and independence.
And she probably doesn't even realize it.
Most People Stop Practicing This After Age 60
My grandma is 89 years old and has severe knee arthritis (both knees).
Yet she can get up from the floor with more confidence than many people 20 or 30 years younger than her.
What's remarkable is that she doesn't have a special exercise routine or a fancy mobility program.
Her secret is much simpler.
For years, she's sat on the floor every day to pray.
That's it.
Without realizing it, she's been practicing one of the most important movement skills for healthy aging:
Getting down to the floor and getting back up again.
Now most people assume that getting off the floor becomes difficult because of age.
Or because they're "not as strong as they used to be."
But as a physiotherapist, I've found something surprising:
For many people, the problem isn't strength.
It's practice.
Think about riding a bike.
If you haven't ridden one in 20 years, the first attempt feels awkward.
Not because you've forgotten how to ride.
But because your body has forgotten the sequence.
Getting up from the floor is similar.
Your body often remembers more than you think.
It just needs a reminder.
Here's Your Challenge
Over the next week, practice getting up from the floor once per day.
Not after a fall.
Not when you desperately need to.
Practice before you need it.
If you're unsure how, here's a simple sequence I suggest (called the CRAWLS method)
C - Take a deep breath and stay calm
R - Reach arm over and roll to your side
A - Adjust one or both knees
W - Walk one leg underneath your body
L - Level yourself into a bear or a mini-plank position
S - Slowly walk your hands back and stand up, or walk your legs towards your hand
ake your time and move slowly.
Keep a sturdy chair nearby if needed.
The goal isn't speed.
The goal is confidence.
The Bigger Lesson
Many of the abilities we associate with "getting older" are actually skills we've stopped practicing.
Getting up from the floor.
Balancing on one leg.
Climbing stairs.
Walking briskly.
Carrying groceries.
The less we do them, the harder they become.
The more we practice them, the longer we keep them.
My grandma didn't preserve her mobility through some complicated program.
She simply kept using it.
And that may be the most powerful lesson of all.
Best advice I’ve heard from a PT is to practice getting up from the floor every day, without any support or assistance.
