I fell over and couldn't get up - what exercise do I need?

[Frenchcremefraiche]

Basically that.

I fell over twice yesyerday. I wasnt hurt but couldn't get myself back up from kneeling/proposal style and had to ask strangers for help. I'm 46.

When I got home I tried again and on one side I can just about do it with a lot of effort but on the other I can't. I dont know why, I just cant.

Is it yoga/pilates or something else that will help?

I already walk/swim/strength train several times each week. I'm overweight (working on it).

Dont be concerned about me falling over btw. They were both my own stupidity. One was a slipping on wet paving and the other was treading on my trouser hem.

I'd recommend yoga because it encourages you to be very aware of how you are using each part of your body as you transition into positions or hold them. This will help you to learn where the problem is - which parts of your body are failing you.

Having cultivated that awareness, you can ask the instructor to recommend specific poses/sequences that may help. And even before you get to this stage, the classes should be providing an overall, balanced workout that will be of help.

Might be worth seeing a private physio for an assessment. They can do various strength tests & can then recommend suitable specific exercises. If they think there's an underlying problem they will recommend you see your GP. Tell GP what physio has recommended so they don't fob you off.

I really agree with this - meant kindly.

We are a similar age. I have always been very fit and healthy (used to teach yoga/pilates/fitness) but had a major long covid related blip where I gained a hell of a lot of weight (well into obesity) and had breathing issues, and was physically very weak. I could barely walk up the stairs without hyperventilating. Even then I had no difficulty getting up from the floor.

I would honestly go and see a physiotherapist and let them assess where you have a weakness or imbalance and recommend next steps. My first thought would have been strength training but if you're doing that already then either your programme is not effective or there's another issue - flexibility, core strength, something else.

This happened to me in that I couldn't lift myself off the floor using my legs and only one arm. It was when I was life threateningly anorexic.
I hope you don't have ED do you OP?

I'm 3st over weight. But I'm only 5ft so it means I'm carrying a higher percentage if that makes sense? It's not muscle and it's due to my diet. It's on my thighs and bum mainly. My tummy isnt big enough to be blocker. This has upset enough to take that seriously now.

I'm in one of the flatest places you can imagine so all walking is flat and there's not much I can do about that. I do 1hr most days, generally lugging a heavy bag.

I work on 6th floor though and a few weeks back I did start taking the stairs. 6 floors is too much so I've been getting off the lift early and building it up. I currently get off at floor 3 and walk the last 3. Next week I'll start getting off at floor 2 so I walk 4 flights. I always walk down the stairs.

I realised that I have very little mobility in my hips eg I struggle to make big steps (although I do have tiny legs) or lift my leg high so I definately need to work on that. One of the reasons I hate burpees is that I physically struggle with them, again mobility I guess. Lunges will help that so I'll look into how best to do them.

I have already started practicing getting up but I didnt think to look up senior citizen videos so that's a good idea. I cant believe I need to do that.

Funnily enough, my gym sent an email this morning about a discount with a new PT. I cant afford a PT and swimming so maybe I need to stop the swimming for a little while and get personalised PT training?

I loved reformer. Not sure it did much but maybe I was going enough (too expensive).

I'm sorry to hear that.

No I dont have an ED but I have a sweet tooth and am greedy (hence my weight). I'm taking it seriously though.

Do physios do that then? If I went and said, I couldnt get up, they would look at why? I thought they were only for injury/recovery.

Are they expensive?

Thank you. I just said that as ED can damage bones and reduce muscle strength. I guess it's bad for very under or overweight.

I am sure the exercises pp suggest will help. You could ask for a physio referral from GP but you'd need to be in pain I think. Private physio is really expensive but the exercises they offer can be found online.

They will absolutely do this - not sure of cost though, I've been lucky enough to get my physio sessions through work/BUPA for yesrs so very out of touch. GPs are generally a bit shit for anything musculoskeletal unfortunately.

You've verbalised what I mean.

I dont know why I couldnt get up. Lack of strength? Weak joints? Hip mobility? Poor core? Something else? I couldn't seem to get the knee I was kneeling up forward and up but I dont know what was stopping me.

I'm concerned that I might put all my effort into say core strength but it's actually stiff hips or whatever that I need to address.

I will look online. Thank you.

Someone up thread suggested looking at older people exercises so I'll add physio to that search

Hello op. Sorry to hear you’ve had a couple of tumbles. Hope you’re not hurt.

I would really recommend a pt - look for someone with lots of experience of dealing with women I’d say, not someone who specialises in building muscle on young lads but someone who really understands how your body works. Explain to them your problem and tell them, clearly, what your objective is. They should do an assessment with you and put together a programme that is specifically tailored to you and your body.

you might even find you enjoy it.

good luck op.

My friend has recently seen a sports physiotherapist and paid around £40-£45 for the first session just to give you an idea.

I was the other way round. I had a diagnosis & GP recommended physio. The NHS one (during covid) was a phone call & useless.
I found a private one who was brilliant. Recommended by a friend. She was £70 ph but worth it. First appt was longer as she did a full assessment. No extra charge.
We then went through exercises to do daily. She also emailed written descriptions so I could refer back.
Charges will depend on your area. Your gym might have recommendations?

Pilates will strengthen core, hips, glutes, back and legs so you'll get everything - and probably a holistic approach is best as you want all your muscles working together.

When I get up from proposal position, I drive off the front heel - the movement isn't coming from the kneeling leg. So when you say you can't get the kneeling leg up and forward, what about if you focus on the front leg driving the movement instead?

Hey OP - I recently decided I wanted to work on a specific strength issue - I told ChatGPT what my goal was and it devised me a 12 week weight training plan! I’m two weeks in and I’m impressed how targeted it is. You can also tell it whether you want to do this at home or at the gym as it will devise your plan around what equipment is available to you.

I didnt think to look up senior citizen videos so that's a good idea. I cant believe I need to do that.

I know what you mean, but if you search on Instagram for the kind of sequences I mentioned, there are lots that don't say they're for senior citizens – they come from the point of view of making sure you're fit/strong/flexible enough now and getting into the habit of doing them, so that when you do get older you'll find getting up easier. I find that makes it easier for me to psychologically accept!

Can you book directly with your NHS physio ie is there one at your GP surgery who you can book with? (at mine you can choose whether you book with a GP, physio, nurse etc). If you can, you could make clear when you request the appointment that you're looking for help with prevention/investigation rather than a simple injury or a recovery programme.

dance and parkour are good for this. it sounds a mixture between balance, strength, and agility are needed.

I'm glad you posted @Frenchcremefraiche because aged 46 and not being able to get up off the ground or the floor at home is actually quite shocking. I'm also a bit shocked that you can't do 6 floors of stairs. I think you should do them all, not just 3 flights - can you allow extra time for stopping and catching your breath? (Alfred Wainwright great fell walker, wrote that a pause to catch your breath is always excusable, to enjoy the view!

Your heart fitness must be quite low as well. How far do you walk each day? Can you stop using a car, and walk for at least an hour a day (10,000 steps minimum?)

My PT trains me hard, and he also trains a woman who is heading for 90. We both do burpees (he made me do 67 on my birthday - one for each year). My gym friend (who's around 88 I think) does burpees very slowly, but the point is that she can get up off the floor.

So: burpees - do them slowly, break then down into the separate movements required (I wouldn't worry about the jump at the end). Squat, reach forward with your hands, full front body on the floor, then push on your arms & bring first one, then the other leg into a table top position (hands under shoulders, knees under hips, like a crawl position) and use your legs to get you upright.

The strength to get up off the ground is in your glutes, then your arms and back. My pT has me do all sorts of crawling movement patterns as well - good for mobility & getting you used to working your body at different levels.

You say you're doing strength training, but frankly if you're not strong enough to get up off the ground, it's not enough! Are you doing squats with dumbbells or a barbell? Or a weighted back pack if you're at home? Put books or tins of beans in it ....

A proper, full depth squat will help to mobilise your hips. Keep you chest & eye line up, keep both feet on the ground firmly, hinge a bit at the hips - push your butt backwards - then think about dropping your pelvis between your legs, keeping your chest as high as possible & your chin up& eyes up.

The child's squat is habitual in many countries (India, African countries) for many people who squat like that, instead of sitting on a chair. Google it, you'll see. Here's a good discussion of ways for older adults to squat (at 46 you're not actually "older" but your body is behaving as if you are):

https://movement-x.com/older-adults/three-variations-of-the-squat-exercise-for-older-adults/

https://www.hingehealth.com/gb/en/resources/articles/benefits-of-deep-squat/

https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=5cf68b8f0ed15ed3&hl=EN&gl=UK&udm=2&sxsrf=ANbL-n52hwZY6yj8-Ls89Lla7sbG6YZQBg:1770040179377&q=squat+sit+pose&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAFvEyldcWJpYolCcWaJQkF-cCgA8GqfDEQAAAA&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiw7YTB-bqSAxUaZ0EAHdGqBfcQrNwCegQIdhAA&biw=1413&bih=793&dpr=2&aic=0

This deep squat feels lovely for your hips. Once you're comfortable in it, you can move around a bit to stretch your sides, or open out your hips a bit. Or can you just sit on the floor more at home? I'm 67 and I tend to sit on the floor more than I sit on my sofa.

If you are doing yoga & pilates & can't get up off the ground, I'd be looking for better instructors, or I'd be working harder! You've had a wake up call, and it's not too late to do something to save your body.

Good luck. Movement is medicine, remember.

I thought the same thing, that doesn't seem right at all. I don't do any exercise at the moment, am overweight and have diagnosed weaknesses in my hips, glutes, legs etc from my pregnancies and I can get up from kneeling no problem at all, hands free.

It’s probably a combination of things, especially a weak core and possibly your weight distribution. Losing weight will help both your mobility/ability to get back up and your balance. People often don’t realize that most fat just sits on top of your muscles and isn’t actually controlled by anything the way that your skeleton is, so if you start to lose your balance it will quite literally drag you down as your muscles can’t compensate for it. If you are pear-shaped (weight in butt and thighs) it can also impede your range of motion in your legs and hips.

Aside from weight loss, focusing on your core strength and range of motion in your hips/legs will probably be most helpful. I think practicing methods for older people to get up is a good shout for the meantime. Remember, you’re only 46. You can definitely get yourself back to springing up unaided, it will just take a little work. :)

I’ve just tried this and I’m surprised. I can get up from a cross legged sitting position without putting my hands on the floor or leaning on anything. I don’t struggle at being up from a kneeling position with and don’t need to lean on anything at all. And I am far, far from fit. I do not work out, at all. Not I was shocked I could get up without issues. I have lost weight though, down to 12.5 stone from 17.5

Yoga, pilates or similar. And just practising sitting down and getting up again at home. Your core strength, leg and arm strength must be absolutely awful for 46. I had no problem getting up at that age even when I was obese.

I can't get up from legs crossed, not without uncrossing them. How do you do it?