- Attention all you seniors!
But we really don't know what qualifies as a senior,
so if you're 60 or older, probably,
and I am, so that's good,
you have a more notable chance of falling as we get older.
Everyone pretty much accepts that.
- But there are some simple exercises you can do
to reduce this risk, and we're gonna show you 10.
- We've field tested them all
with many patients over the years.
They're right on.
(bright upbeat music)
Alright, do these exercises with shoes on
so we get a nice grip on the floor,
we don't wanna fall.
If you're gonna use, go stocking foot, then-
- You should do it on the carpet,
so you won't slip and slide anywhere.
- That's right. Shoes are probably better.
Okay, again, we're gonna show you 10 exercises.
Only do the ones you feel comfortable with.
The last four are actually more advanced,
and so, really have good judgment with those.
We don't want anyone to fall with this.
- And remember to use good posture and form
with all these exercises, and keep breathing.
You don't wanna hold your breath, you might just pass out.
- Oh, come on. (Mike sighs)
Exercise number one, it's simple.
Sit to stand.
Use your armrest if you need to.
Now the goal is to do 10 of 'em.
By the time you get to the 10th one,
you know, you should feel a little bit tired.
If you're pushing off isn't necessary,
you can cross your hands here, and work that.
If you want to be more advanced, hands above your head,
it makes it more difficult.
However, if you're not able to get up from a chair,
get a taller chair, put a pillow in it,
or like Mike has, off a taller, like a bed.
- Nice raised surface here, you can use your hands,
same as Brad, or not.
Make sure to get a good base of support, make it wide,
you don't wanna be super narrow,
this makes it a lot more challenging,
so just do 10 of 'em.
Make sure to control on the way down.
A lot of people can get up, but then they'll do this.
Don't do that.
- Mm, no, no, no, no.
Okay, we're gonna go to number two.
- Next exercise we're gonna do is calf and toe raises.
So Brad is doing it holding onto a chair.
I'm just using a stick, or like a cane for support.
You're gonna go up on your toes,
and then rock back up on your heels.
How many reps should we do with these, Brad?
- We're going for 10 once again.
If you feel unstable or you have a wiggly chair,
you may want to go to a cupboard or a sink,
where you can wrap your hands around the sink,
in the kitchen, works very nice.
Sometimes it's nice to have a chair behind you
while you hold onto the sink, if you are unstable,
you can simply sit down and avoid any falls.
So be safe, and be careful.
From that same position,
you can go right into marching, bringing the knees up
as high as you feel comfortable.
Again, holding on to something if you need to.
You may wanna face and hold on with both hands
so you are stable.
Let's talk about repetitions.
- You can do 10 on each leg.
It's gonna be a little more challenging to alternate.
If this is problematic,
you can do single leg at a time and then switch.
But personally,
you get a little more balanced weight shifting
doing it this way.
- All right, nice work, Mike.
- Okay, exercise four is gonna be sidekicks,
also known as hip abduction.
So you're gonna bring your leg out to the side.
Try to keep your toe pointed forward the whole time.
Don't exaggerate, rotate out,
and twist your whole body like this.
You're not a contortionist, so just simply go sideways,
nice straight posture,
do 10 reps per each side, and hold on to support.
- This exercise, just to let you know,
if you find yourself walking like this,
that's a good time to emphasize this exercise,
that helps prevent that waddle.
- And we should also add
that it's gonna work your stationary leg
as well as your moving leg.
And make sure this knee is slightly bent.
You don't want to have it locked out. Little bend.
Okay, the next exercise is known as hip extension.
We're simply gonna kick our legs straight backwards.
Leave the legs straight, don't bend the knee,
and just go back and forth for 10 repetitions.
Don't try to swing, and control it.
Once you do 10 on one leg,
make sure to switch and do the other.
- Very important thing with this exercise,
is avoid this motion,
because then you're not working that hip extensor,
up tall, shoulders back.
You don't have to go real high.
It's more important to have good form and not go as high.
- If you're curious if this is working,
you can place your hand on your buttock,
they're kicking back,
and you should feel your butt muscle firing.
- That's right.
- Okay, the next exercise we're gonna do
is more of a balance procedure here.
So we're gonna slowly bring your feet closer together.
If you feel comfortable, you don't have to hold on,
you can hold onto a cane, cupboard,
whatever, countertop, chair,
and slowly bring 'em closer and closer together,
and just try to stand like this.
If this is too easy,
you can put one foot in front of the other
in a tandem stance, and try to hold it like this.
This is challenging, make sure to hold on,
maybe have a chair behind you, or someone holding on to you.
But this is a good way to challenge your balance.
- Good, and you'll hold that for, you know,
15 to 30 seconds.
Again, make sure your steady, have something to hold onto.
Don't try and you know, be a hot shot, and have a fall.
And if that's easy,
we're gonna progress and get harder
with each exercise continuing.
- These are the advanced ones coming up.
Okay, we're gonna go to the last four.
They are advanced, so that means
if you need a cane or a walker,
you do not wanna progress to these,
they're gonna be too advanced.
So you need to be able to walk without anything
and feel comfortable walking around,
without any losses of balance,
then you can proceed to the next four, good luck.
- The next is single leg balance.
So you're gonna stand on one leg.
The higher your other leg goes,
the more challenging it's gonna be.
Make sure to hold on to support, so you feel safe.
If it's easy, you can try and let go,
just make sure you have something there.
You're gonna hold this for 10 seconds to start.
Build up to 25, 30 seconds on each leg.
- So a way to progress that makes it nice is two hands.
If that's too easy,
one hand, if that's too easy, fingertips with both hands.
If that's still too easy, just fingertips,
it makes a big difference,
a nice little trick we use with patients a lot.
- Exercise eight is gonna be tandem walking.
So you're gonna go heel to toe,
make sure to have a countertop
on one one side for support, or use a cane if you need it.
And you're just gonna put one foot in front of the other,
go slow and controlled.
What do you have to say about this, Brad?
- Well, you can actually, if you wanna feel more advanced,
go backwards, and make sure your toe touches the heel.
This works proprioception.
In other words, your mind knows
where your feet are without actually seeing them.
That's a very important part of balance
that this incorporates
- When you're starting, if you feel comfortable,
you know, you can look down,
but try not to look at your feet
and just feel them through this.
- This is advanced.
Do not try it unless you can easily walk
without a cane or a walker.
It's important to do that.
- And you can also go backwards.
If you don't feel safe going this backwards,
you can just walk backwards, that is another option as well.
And exercise 10 is another balance one,
we're gonna do side stepping.
So we're just gonna go sideways like this.
Bring your one foot out,
bring the other foot and touch the heel again,
and then just go back the other direction.
- A very good idea for this is using your cupboard,
the kitchen countertop, both hands on the countertop,
we don't have one here.
And then you're going to use that.
Again, you can put your hands flat on it
and as you feel more safe,
go to fingertips,
and then actually go without touching it at all.
But keep your hands above the countertop
in case you need to grab it.
- If you feel unsteady at first, you can take little steps,
and progress the width as you feel more comfortable.
- This one is more important than it looks,
because oftentimes we side step
through getting throughout the bedroom,
in the kitchen, without knowing about it,
and so this helps you maintain balance.
- Small bathrooms, too.
- Oh, that's a good point.
Alright, to finish it up, do all of these,
pick two or three that you like
and you feel are gonna be helpful,
and do those, and do 'em daily.
And you can alternate from day to day.
And when you get better, go to the more advanced ones.
But be ca. Be ca. (laughs)
Be very safe, take your time.
- I think you meant to say be careful.
- That as well, yes.
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