Move Well – Exercises
Side Plank
- Begin by laying on your side on the floor
- Position your elbow on the floor just under your shoulder
- Lift up on that elbow and keep your body stiff from head to toe
- Hold this position for a count of 5 (goal: get to count to 10) and lower your hip to the floor
- Rest and repeat three times
- Switch sides and repeat the exercise on the other hip
- Kneel on your hands and knees.
- Lift your right arm up and out in front of you; hold for 3 seconds; return hand to floor. Repeat with other arm.
- Lift your right leg out behind you, hold for 3 seconds; return knee to floor. Repeat with other leg.
- When confident with your balance, lift your right arm and left leg at the same time. Hold for 3 seconds. Return arm and knee to floor. Repeat with left arm and right leg.
- Repeat as many times as you can. Your target is 30. When you can do 30 of both sides easily, tell us because you no longer need this exercise.
- do 1 set in the morning and 1 set at night.
- You can do more reps and more sets if you like. The more you do, the faster your endurance will be achieved.
- Looking straight ahead
- Move head straight back (ear over shoulder)
- Tilt head back – extend
- Hold for 1-2 seconds with maximum effort, relax with head still tilted, contract back again (repeat up to 5 times)
- Start with 5 repetitions and gradually over following weeks build up to 20 (this is one set)
- Do one set in the AM and one in the PM
Neck Towel Stretch When completed above, lie on the floor on back with “rolled towel” under neck, head tilted back. First week 5 min, gradually over following weeks increase to 10 minutes.
Wall Seat
The wall sit is holding a static position for a certain period of time. This is a great exercise you can do anywhere without any equipment to help you build endurance in the lower body Here’s how to do it:
- Stand in front of a wall (about 2 feet in front of it) and lean against it.
- Slide down until your knees are at about 90-degree angles, flatten your low back against the wall and hold, keeping the abs contracted, for 5 seconds (goal is 60 seconds0.)
- Come back to start and repeat exercise if haven’t help for 15 seconds continuous (e.g. 3 times for 5 seconds).Once holding for 15 seconds work toward 30 seconds in the following days
Note: if your knees hurt, your feet are too close to the wall – so move them out – knees should be at 90 degrees. 
- Begin by laying on your back on a yoga mat on the floor or in bed (if necessary).
- Raise your left leg and wrap both arms around your shin and hug into your chest. Keep the right leg as straight as possible.
- Hold for 30 seconds and release slowly back to the floor/bed.
- Repeat the above two steps with your right leg.
- Rest and repeat with both legs at the same time.
- Practice these exercises when laying down to sleep at night and when you wake up in the morning.
Resources
- ‘Greater Strength, Muscle Function and Less Fatigue’ by Dr Heidi Haavik
- ‘Sitting Fitness’
