When was the last time you purposely got down on the floor? If you’re like most adults, chances are good that it’s been some time. As we age it becomes more important to get down to the floor and back up, and to do so with regularity.
Your ability to do this is closely related to your overall fall risk, and some research even suggests it can predict your chances of living a long life. Why? Because this is a quick and easy way to test how well your musculoskeletal system can perform.
Why Sitting and Rising Is Important for Health
According to the CDC, falls are the primary cause of injury-related deaths in older adults. In addition, complications from falls – like pneumonia or dehydration – are more likely if you aren’t able to get easily into an upright position from a sitting position.
In 2002, an assessment was performed on male and female adults ranging in age from 51 to 80.The test was a simple assessment of the subjects’ ability to sit and then rise without assistance from the floor.
Investigators found performing the sit-stand test easily reflected the ability to successfully perform a range of activities of daily living, such as bending over to pick up something off the floor or to get an object out from under a table.
This study also found that requiring more than one hand or knee in support of sitting and rising from the floor in a stable way was associated with higher death rates over the years-long study period. Conversely, those who could get off the floor unaided had a particularly low risk of death during the tracking period.
The researchers declared that this was the first study to demonstrate the predictive value of the sit-rise test. Adults who maintain muscle strength and flexibility through regular physical activity are less likely to suffer a fall, and more likely to live a longer, healthier life.
If you can easily sit down on the floor and stand up again without using your hands, arms, or knees to help while at the same time maintaining your balance, you can be fairly certain that you have a functional, strong musculoskeletal system. This is the foundation of a healthy metabolism which is the key to robust health.
Try the Sit-Rise Test Yourself
In this test, as already mentioned, researchers measured how easy it was for middle-age and older adults to get up and down from the floor unaided. You can try a version of the test for yourself, but only if you can do so without hurting yourself!
Start out standing up. Move to a sitting position all the way down to the floor, and then rise back up to a standing position. Use the least amount of support you need to do so safely and with stability. Speed is not important so move as fast or as slow as you wish. The ideal goal is to be able to sit down and stand up without using your hands, arms, knees (or furniture) for support.
If you could easily sit and rise from the floor without assistance from a body part other than your legs, then your lifestyle and activities are providing enough motion to maintain a strong musculoskeletal system. Keep up doing what you are doing!
If you had trouble sitting and rising without using your hands, arms, or knees, or if you lost your balance or couldn’t do it at all, fear not! There is help, and there are exercises you can do to regain strength and flexibility.
A Few Functional Exercises to Try
Functional exercises train your muscles to make everyday activities easier and they can help improve your strength, balance, and coordination so that you feel stronger on your feet. Upper body and core strengthening exercises can help build the muscles you need to get up.
Only attempt these exercises if you can do them comfortably without pain!
Squat: Bend your hips and knees like you’re going to sit in a chair. Lower yourself down as far as you can go without pain. Aim toward your thighs being parallel to the ground or even lower if you can. Keep your weight on your heels and keep your knees behind your toes. Them, return to the starting position by pressing through your heels and straightening your legs.
Roll: Start by laying on the floor on your back. Roll over to one side, then roll to your stomach. Reverse the movement and return to lying on your back. Repeat this by rolling on to your opposite side.
Crawling: Get down to the floor on your hands and knees, then crawl forward by moving the opposite arm and leg at the same time. After crawling forward several feet, crawl backward to where you started.
Other things you can do are as simple as Increasing how much time you spend on the floor each day. For example, skip the couch when watching TV or reading a book and sit on the floor instead. Another option is to add floor stretches at the end of your daily workouts. Or consider posture alignment therapy, which targets the muscles required to do the sit-rise test successfully!
Posture Alignment Can Help
Effectively addressing any postural imbalances you may have is a surefire way to improve your body’s alignment, as well as to create more balance and strength. When our bodies are aligned properly (front-to-back and right-to-left), we move more efficiently, fluidly, and with more ease.
If you find that it is not that easy for you to complete the sit-rise test without difficulty, it may not necessarily be a lack of strength, it could also mean your body is out of alignment. You can read our article on how to perform a simple alignment test for more information.
To find out if posture therapy may be right for you, please contact us today! Pain Free Philly can address your specific needs with a series of customized exercises that will help guide you toward living a life that moves you!