If you’d like to improve your walking but find standing exercises too painful , the 3 seated exercises for seniors with knee arthritis shown in this video may be ideal for you.
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What Are The Best Exercises To Improve Walking?
The best exercises to improve walking are ideally done standing up since walking is a standing activity.
However, as a physical therapist, I understand that some seniors with arthritis may have too much pain to do standing exercises initially.
Doing seated exercises acts as a bridge to improve your flexibility and strength so that you can do standing exercises (including walking) more comfortably.
Exercise 1: Seated Hip Flexor Stretch & Glute Strengthening
This first seated exercise targets both flexibility and strength to help with walking.
When you walk, your hip extends as your back leg pushes off.
To accomplish this motion comfortably, you need both flexibility in the hip flexors and strength in the glute muscles.
Instructions
- Sit on a chair without armrests and scoot to one side. One buttock remains on the chair while the other hangs off the side.
- Push your leg back behind you, bending your knee as far as you comfortably can.
- If you can’t bend your knee fully, try turning slightly to make it easier.
- Sit tall and gently push your leg back by squeezing your glutes. This creates hip extension, which stretches your hip flexors while strengthening your glutes.
Optional Progression: To increase glute strength, push the heel of your front leg into the ground and try to lift your bottom slightly off the chair. This engages both the glute and thigh muscles.
Exercise 2: Seated Hip Abductor Strengthening with Resistance Band
Your hip abductor muscles, located on the sides of your hips, are responsible for maintaining side-to-side stability when walking.
Strengthening these muscles helps you balance on one leg and prevents your knee from collapsing inward.
Instructions
- Place a resistance loop or band around both legs, positioning it just above your knees.
- With your feet together, push your knees outward against the band.
- Repeat this motion back and forth, aiming for 10-15 repetitions.
- If this becomes too easy, you can increase the resistance by using a stronger band or adding a second band.
Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Ba...
52% OffExercise 3: Seated Foot Arch Strengthening
The muscles in your feet play an important role in stabilizing your arch when walking, preventing your knee and hip from collapsing inward.
Strengthening these muscles can support better alignment and control.
Instructions
- Begin with your feet flat on the ground.
- Curl your toes inward and turn your ankle inward, as though scooping the floor. This movement activates the tibialis posterior and intrinsic foot muscles.
- Practice this motion one foot at a time or both simultaneously, repeating for 10-15 repetitions.
Progressing to Standing Exercises
Once you feel comfortable with these seated exercises, it’s time to try progressing to standing movements.
When standing, think about activating your arches, driving your knees outward as you did with the band, and pressing your heels into the ground as you stand up.
These movements mimic the seated exercises and prepare you for stronger, more controlled walking.
Incorporating these simple seated exercises can help senior with arthritis to build strength so that they can stand and walk more comfortably.
However, you'll eventually want to get back to doing standing strengthening exercises when you're able.
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