Maintaining independence and avoiding the need for long-term care doesn’t have to involve hours at the gym or intense physical therapy. With some small, but purposeful changes to everyday habits, you can improve your strength, balance, and overall fitness — key factors in staying mobile and self-reliant. Here are three simple tips to incorporate into your daily routine:
1. Don't sit down to put on your shoes or boots
As long as there is no medical or other reason to prevent you from doing so – Instead of sitting, try standing while putting on your shoes or boots. This small adjustment can do wonders for improving your balance and coordination variations when moving between various positions.
By practising this, you’re subtly training your muscles to support you during dynamic movements, which reduces the risk of falls and improves overall balance and stability. Always make sure you’re safe, by standing close-up and next to a sturdy supportive structure (e.g. wall/strong chair). Over time, you should notice your balance improves.
2. Don't rock yourself up from sitting on the settee/lounge chair, no matter how low or soft
As long as there is no medical or other reason to prevent you from doing so – When rising from a chair, especially a low or soft one, resist the urge to rock or push yourself up using just your hands/arms. Instead, focus on building strength in your thigh muscles by following these steps:
- Bring your feet and heels as far back underneath your body as you can
- Shuffle your bottom slightly forward
- Lean forward and then, keeping your shoulders in line with/over your knees slowly stand up, using your hands to gently support/push-off your thighs if needed – good for quads strengthening/maintenance.
This method not only makes standing easier over time, but also helps maintain critical lower-body strength, which is essential for everyday activities like climbing stairs, walking, or maintaining balance during sudden movements or turns.
3. Don't park as close as you can to the supermarket, nor use a trolley when possible
Next time you visit the supermarket, challenge yourself by parking in one of the furthest spaces from the entrance and ignoring the trolley bay. Instead, walk the extra distance to the store and opt for a shopping basket (or two) to carry your items.
This practice will combine increasing your cardiovascular fitness, with a nice upper-body workout.
Making these activities into daily habits can help improve your overall fitness and ‘safety’, without imposing any extra exercise time on your day!
Mebbe give them a go…?!
