Stand up to the Challenge! – How Sit-to-Stand exercises can prevent falls later in life.

As we get older there’s comfort in routine: A daily walk with a friend, weekly coffee-catch up with the girls, an afternoon nap followed by the daily crossword, the pre-dinner G + T with a handful of nuts, dinner at the same time every evening, are just a few things that spring to mind. But while there’s great comfort in routine, a few simple habit changes have dramatic health benefits to your overall physical and mental health. Diet aside – you all know the importance of eating a healthy diet – what you may not be doing enough of is exercise, particularly exercise to prevent falls later in life.

One simple new habit everyone can include in their daily life is the Sit to Stand exercise. As we age, our muscles and bones weaken, and our balance and coordination can also decline increasing the risk of falls, particularly in adults over 65 years. What we all need to work on now, is preventing falls in the future and one way to do that is with daily sit to stand exercise.

Sit to Stand Exercise

By practicing the sit-to-stand exercise, we improve leg strength, balance, and coordination. It’s a simple exercise that involves sitting down in a chair and then standing up, using only the legs (without using the hands or arms for support). To make it more challenging, use a lower chair or add weights. Those of you who are very fit, can do more.

How many sit to stand exercises should you do?

The number of sit-to-stand exercises one should aim to do each day depends on various factors, such as your overall health, fitness level, and functional ability. Here are some general guidelines to follow.

According to a study published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, older adults who completed three sets of 10 sit-to-stand exercises twice daily for 12 weeks had improved strength, balance, and functional performance. Therefore, a good starting point could be to aim for at least 20 sit-to-stand exercises per day, divided into two sets of 10 repetitions.

However, it’s important to listen to your body and adjust the number of repetitions and sets based on your fitness level and any health concerns you may have. If you find it challenging to complete 20 repetitions at once, you could start with a lower number and gradually increase it as you get stronger.

Overall, the sit-to-stand exercise is an important exercise for improving functional mobility and reducing the risk of falls, making it a crucial part of a healthy aging plan.