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

117 replies

Frenchcremefraiche · 02/02/2026 07:35

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.

OP posts:
Frenchcremefraiche · 02/02/2026 16:08

ParmaVioletTea · 02/02/2026 13:54

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 do about 10,000 steps a day Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Mondays it's about 12,000 and Thursdays is almost 20,000. Saturdays is closer to 30,000 recently. I get my steps in! 🤣

Plus 1-2 x 1hr sessions of swimming that leaves me out of breath, 1 x 1hr gym session and 2 x 30min gym sessions.

I dont know if it's strength, flexibility, weight or sonething else that was the issue. I'm actually leaning more towards it being a flexibility issue and not being about to move my hips enough. I cant take big steps or lift my legs high so it makes sense. But I can do barbell deadlines etc.

I'm not doing 6 flights of stairs at once straght away. I'm just not. I'm building up to it and in a few weeks I will be walking it without an issue. I'm actually surprised that your surprised that I cant do 6 flights of stairs. I dont think that many people could tbh.

OP posts:
Frenchcremefraiche · 02/02/2026 16:11

Forgot to say I do a mix of machines and hand weight but have recently started a weight lifting class.

Dont under-estimate how heavy my work bag is! 🤣

I dont do yoga or pilates. I dont like them but if I need to, then I will start. As I said above, I really enjoyed reformer but it's too expensive to go enough to make a difference.

OP posts:
ByQuaintAzureWasp · 02/02/2026 16:12

Keep practicing

BringBackCatsEyes · 02/02/2026 16:14

I'm not doing 6 flights of stairs at once straght away. I'm just not. I'm building up to it and in a few weeks I will be walking it without an issue. I'm actually surprised that your surprised that I cant do 6 flights of stairs. I dont think that many people could tbh.

I think a minority can't. I would maybe cut back on some of the strength work and work on building up your general fitness. On paper you should be pretty fit and 6 flights of stairs should not be a problem (along with getting up from the floor).

Frenchcremefraiche · 02/02/2026 16:18

BringBackCatsEyes · 02/02/2026 16:14

I'm not doing 6 flights of stairs at once straght away. I'm just not. I'm building up to it and in a few weeks I will be walking it without an issue. I'm actually surprised that your surprised that I cant do 6 flights of stairs. I dont think that many people could tbh.

I think a minority can't. I would maybe cut back on some of the strength work and work on building up your general fitness. On paper you should be pretty fit and 6 flights of stairs should not be a problem (along with getting up from the floor).

I think we'll have to disagree with that one then. https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4902846-how-would-you-feel-after-climbing-six-flights-of-stairs

By "cant" I mean, I could but Id be slow and out of breath and my heart would be going. By the end of this week Ill be doing 3 without any issue so half way there

How would you feel after climbing six flights of stairs? | Mumsnet

I had to climb six flights of very steep stairs quite quickly today. I’m quite unfit but have been trying lately to eat better, lose some weight, an...

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4902846-how-would-you-feel-after-climbing-six-flights-of-stairs

OP posts:
ParmaVioletTea · 02/02/2026 16:20

Well my house has 50 stairs from top to bottom & I run up and down those several times a day, just in the normal course of things ...

Reading your most recent post @Frenchcremefraiche I'm leaning towards seeing your GP. Because you are doing a lot more than most people in terms of daily ordinary exercise (your step count is impressive) and you lift weights etc.

At 46, you should be far more mobile than it appears you are. You're doing all the right things. It must be frustrating.

There could be something else going on.

ParmaVioletTea · 02/02/2026 16:23

By "cant" I mean, I could but Id be slow and out of breath and my heart would be going. By the end of this week Ill be doing 3 without any issue so half way there

But that's fine. That's how it is getting aerobically fit. Of course you're going to be slow & out of breath.

I'm very very fit but I'm still completely gassed during a run, and my HR goes up to my peak zone. But I'm fit enough to sustain that, and recover quickly. That's what you're working towards in cardio stuff.

Whataninterestinglookingpotato · 02/02/2026 16:26

ShadesmarBead · 02/02/2026 15:17

As much as I like seeing posters recommending seeing a physio, as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner Physiotherapist who specialises in frailty and falls my advice, as previously stated is to see your GP.
I don’t want to alarm you but the (brief) history you have given in the OP is highly unusual. As an ACP I have the experience and skills to screen for and rule out alternative diagnosis other than this being a musculoskeletal issue, a physio without this training would not.

Speak to your GP first, then if they are happy that this is a problem that can be sorted with a physio then go for it.

This.

I am also an AHP (not an advanced practitioner) with frailty experience and your OP rang alarm bells straight away. That’s why I mentioned it being a concern on the first page but didn’t want to worry you too much.

it could be something to do with your hip mobility as it is harder to get your leg through to a position to push up from if your hip mobility is reduced. But I would agree with this poster and strongly advise you to get checked at the GP. If it turns out to be nothing more than a strength and mobility issue that a physio or even a personal trainer can help you over come then fantastic. But I would get it medically checked out first.

PuppySnores · 02/02/2026 16:39

This time last year I had difficulty getting up off the floor because of knee pain, although I though I was fairly fit. I think I'd gradually restricted my own movement to avoid "setting it off".

I saw a physio and got a range of exercises to stretch hip/pelvis/knee and thigh range. They really helped after a few weeks.

maybe I'm balancing a drink in the other hand. Getting up without spilling your drink is definitely hardcore!

Pallisers · 02/02/2026 16:40

I've been reading a lot about standing from sitting for older people - it is a real issue that will affect your mobility and resilience in older age. My MIL was fit-ish but lacked core strength and mobility and it has severely affected her in her 80s (in a wheelchair now unable to live independently).

This is quite good to start with - for flexibility and strength.

Also this

www.npr.org/2026/01/31/nx-s1-5691822/strength-exercises-stronger-muscles

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymczvlodkvE

Frenchcremefraiche · 02/02/2026 16:43

ParmaVioletTea · 02/02/2026 16:23

By "cant" I mean, I could but Id be slow and out of breath and my heart would be going. By the end of this week Ill be doing 3 without any issue so half way there

But that's fine. That's how it is getting aerobically fit. Of course you're going to be slow & out of breath.

I'm very very fit but I'm still completely gassed during a run, and my HR goes up to my peak zone. But I'm fit enough to sustain that, and recover quickly. That's what you're working towards in cardio stuff.

I used to run half marathons. Not fast but without stopping. I was training for a marathon and fractured my foot putting it down wrong during a run. I had to stop obviously and never got back to it. It sounds stupid but I'm scared to start running again because I wouldnt be able to run to the end of the street now. I know about couch 25k. My foot healed fine. Plus I dont fit in my running kit now! 🤣

It's so funny because everytime I post on here about exercise (under various names) I get told I'm not doing enough cardio or I'm doing too much cardio or I'm not doing the right type of cardio. 🤣

OP posts:
cestlavielife · 02/02/2026 16:45

Book a one off session with a physio to review what happens when you on floor and advise
Best get professional advice

Frenchcremefraiche · 02/02/2026 16:50

Whataninterestinglookingpotato · 02/02/2026 16:26

This.

I am also an AHP (not an advanced practitioner) with frailty experience and your OP rang alarm bells straight away. That’s why I mentioned it being a concern on the first page but didn’t want to worry you too much.

it could be something to do with your hip mobility as it is harder to get your leg through to a position to push up from if your hip mobility is reduced. But I would agree with this poster and strongly advise you to get checked at the GP. If it turns out to be nothing more than a strength and mobility issue that a physio or even a personal trainer can help you over come then fantastic. But I would get it medically checked out first.

Edited

Thanm you for this. What are you thinking might be the issue? I know you cant diagnose and you wont panic or upset me. It would just be helpful if I could go to the GP and say "Ive been told to ask about x" rather than "I cant stand up from sitting" and be told "it's just hecause you are fat".

OP posts:
Frenchcremefraiche · 02/02/2026 16:53

ShadesmarBead · 02/02/2026 15:17

As much as I like seeing posters recommending seeing a physio, as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner Physiotherapist who specialises in frailty and falls my advice, as previously stated is to see your GP.
I don’t want to alarm you but the (brief) history you have given in the OP is highly unusual. As an ACP I have the experience and skills to screen for and rule out alternative diagnosis other than this being a musculoskeletal issue, a physio without this training would not.

Speak to your GP first, then if they are happy that this is a problem that can be sorted with a physio then go for it.

Would you be able to tell me what to ask the GP about?
I know if I go and say "I cant get up off the floor" he would just tell me to lose weight. Which is a valid point but not helpful if there are actual red flags.
I know you cant diagnose and I wont go and google whatever you say and scare myself!
Thank you.

OP posts:
HArderthan1thought · 02/02/2026 16:55

I dismissed it for years, but Pilates has been a game changer for me. It basically highlighted how I was not using my muscles correctly when doing all the other exercise I thought was "keeping my fit" - this includes weight training and swimming twice a week.

Reformer, without individual attention, is not the same as Pilates - it teaches your body to optimally use its muscles. Getting your body in the correct 'shape' is not indicative of correctly performing a particular exercise, or using the right muscles.

I started doing pilates after experiencing an unexplained muscles pain in my thigh. Honestly, the best thing I've ever started, exercise wise.

EmeraldRoulette · 02/02/2026 17:04

@Frenchcremefraiche I feel for you

One side is weaker than the other if I'm getting up from kneeling

May I ask, was there a reason you couldn't put your hands on the ground?

Or is it that you couldn't help yourself up using those either? Or that you'd maybe be injured something?

I'm looking at these exercises but I'm not sure I'm getting anywhere. like you. I work out regularly and I do squats etc

I sat on a grassy slope last summer and had to grab onto the ground in order to get up! I am physically incompetent though if that makes sense - all the things people could do as kids, I couldn't do.

I was a bit puzzled that it was so easy to sit down on the grassy slope and then I had to shift about ridiculously in order to get up! I didn't have to use my hands in order to just sit down onto the grass!

I have been fat, thin and everything in between, but I don't think it makes much of a difference. Also some days I am more coordinated than other days!

I sit on the floor a lot, but I always need to use my hands to get up.

EmeraldRoulette · 02/02/2026 17:05

@HArderthan1thought i'm not clear from your post
Are you doing reformer Pilates? I've only done mat Pilates. Maybe I should give reformer a try.

StrawberryJamAndRaspberryPie · 02/02/2026 17:20

Frenchcremefraiche · 02/02/2026 13:21

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?

A Physio would be far more use than a PT. Assessing mobility issues and helping you fix them is part of their job! They can find out exactly why you couldn’t get up saving you time and effort if it’s muscular.

Yes also see the Gp and say you couldn’t get off the floor and you don’t think it’s due to weight.

ShadesmarBead · 02/02/2026 17:25

Frenchcremefraiche · 02/02/2026 16:53

Would you be able to tell me what to ask the GP about?
I know if I go and say "I cant get up off the floor" he would just tell me to lose weight. Which is a valid point but not helpful if there are actual red flags.
I know you cant diagnose and I wont go and google whatever you say and scare myself!
Thank you.

Just start by saying exactly what you’ve said here. That you fell twice and couldn’t get up. You’d like to start doing some specific exercises to help, but you want to make sure that there’s nothing else going on before you start.

Any GP worth their salt will raise a curious eyebrow and clock that you’re worried.

Your GP will take a more detailed history in addition to having access to your past medical history and medications all of which are essential in a falls assessment.

Try not to worry, Dr Google is definitely not your friend here x

BecauseofyouIlearntnottotrust · 02/02/2026 17:28

Apart from the getting up issue I am wondering about your falls. I know you said they weren’t an issue but I fell a couple of times a few years ago. I’ve been trying to strengthen my ankles, practicing balancing for extended periods of time as well as running and yoga and I haven’t fallen over in a couple of years. If I wobble I can catch myself.

cantankerousoldcrone · 02/02/2026 17:38

Maybe a physiotherapist would know what you need for that exact movement?

Deanefan · 02/02/2026 17:44

Just a bit of a left field view, shoulder and hip weakness along with weight gain can be signs of an under active thyroid. Do you have any other symptoms like cold hands and feet, thinning of eyebrows and hair?

In reality like me you are probably just out of practice!

ehb102 · 02/02/2026 17:54

If you are properly fat you can work on starting on your knees in press up position, lifting your bum up (and head down) and then walking your hands to where they need to be until you can push yourself off the floor. I thanked the deities for CrossFit when I fell over post surgery. It would have been ambulance job if I couldn't have done it myself as I am huge.

unsync · 02/02/2026 17:59

Mat Pilates. It will balance out both sides, give you flexibility and mobility in your joints and strengthen your core. It goes really well with lifting weights too. It is challenging both physically and mentally, but the benefits are worth it.

ehb102 · 02/02/2026 18:03

Look up inchworms and walk outs for the names of the exercises.