Here is a simple functional test for you to try –

Instructions – Take off your shoes and socks, sit down on the floor and get back up again. How easy did you find it? Did you find yourself using your hands, arms, knees or a chair for assistance? If you did, try and sit down and stand up again without using any assistance. If you feel any pain, please don’t continue to carry out this exercise.

If you find this exercise easy then keep up the good work, your lifestyle and daily movements are helping to keep your body functional.

If you found the exercise hard, don’t worry! this can be resolved by making changes. When this happens it generally means there is a loss of mobility and range in the load joints and this is usually due to our lifestyles.

Our current lifestyles are having an effect on our functional bodies as we move less and the movement we do complete is usually repetitive, ie using the same muscles. With advances in technology ie, microwave and hoover now means we don’t have to work as hard to eat and clean the house.

Tips to improve your results with this exercise –

Next time you get out of your chair start noticing if you are using your hands to help you get up. Using your hands to get up and down out of a chair is a learnt behavior your body can learn and unlearn quickly.

Spend time sitting on the floor instead of your comfy sofa as much as possible. When you get up off the floor, try and get up in different ways ie, if you always get up using your right side then try and use your left side instead.

Set yourself a goal to get up and down at least once a day and then increase the amount to get your body used to moving in this way.