Simple exercises to keep Older Adults Moving — Part 1

by John C. Griffin, MSc.

Have you ever had trouble getting in or out of a car? Are recreational activities that involve agility or balance getting harder? Do you find that carrying groceries is becoming more of a challenge?

These are some tasks that require functional mobility -- the ability to efficiently perform the necessary activities of daily life without undue fatigue or pain. With good functional mobility, you can have a good quality of life and stay healthy, safe, and active.

In this series of articles, we’ll have you try several ‘screening tests’. These will help you spot problems with functional mobility. In each article, we will target a specific area of mobility. For each area, we’ll give you a simple exercise to improve that aspect of your functional mobility.

The first area to consider is that of ‘up and down’ activities with a lower body focus. This includes things like getting in and out of a car, moving quickly up and down stairs, or putting on socks.

Test #1: Chair Sit-and-Reach

How to do it:

1. Sit up straight on the front edge of a chair.
2. Put one foot flat on the floor with the knee bent.
3. Put the other leg straight out in front, with the heel on the floor and toes pointed up.
4. Stretch your arms out in front of you, with one hand on top of the other, so that the middle fingers match up.
5. Bending at the hips, reach your hands towards or past your toes as you exhale. Keep the knee of your outstretched leg straight.
6. Hold the stretch for 2 seconds.
7. After you have practiced this with each leg, give yourself a score.

How did you do?

Score 2 points if you can reach past your toes.

Score 1 point if you can touch your toes.

Score a 0 if you are not able to touch your toes or you have pain while doing the test.

Score the test:   Left ___      Right ___