Are you on your feet for hours every day? When your legs and feet feel tired, have you noticed that your whole body tends to feel tired and achy, and you slow down? It’s as though your well-being is dependent on the fitness of your limbs.
Strong legs are essential for mobility, while good circulation is important in preventing leg problems – and if your legs ache and ankles swell, you may also have a tendency to varicose veins. It is therefore important to exercise your legs regularly to maintain strength. Women have naturally less leg power than men. Strong muscles provide stability and muscles help correct our posture if we trip, supporting the bones and preventing fractures.
Now get up off your bottoms and we’ll work your lower body. For the following exercises, you will need an upright chair, pillow and an exercise band to help you strengthen your muscles and bones.
Take care with these exercises if you have an existing back injury. If in doubt, leave it out!
Happy Feet
This exercise mobilises your ankles and feet.
Stand and place your hands on your hips. Straighten out the right leg and place the right foot out in front of you, with the heel down on the floor. Now bring your right foot back and touch your toes to the side of the left foot, keeping your supporting left leg ‘soft’ (slightly bent). Repeat the heel/toe action 10 times.
Change to the left foot and repeat 10 times, keeping the supporting right leg ‘soft’.
Rock and Roll
This exercise increases the circulation in your legs and maintains the mobility of your ankles.
Stand and hold the chair back for support, with your feet flat on the floor. Keeping both heels on the floor, simply pull your toes and forefoot up towards your shins. Point your toes and lower them back down to the floor, and then with a rolling action, lift up both heels simultaneously.
Repeat this rock and roll action as vigorously as you can 15–20 times. Feel the strong pumping action in the calf!
Circles
ROS Recommends
This is a useful warm-up exercise to make you more stable when you start your other exercises
This exercise increases the circulation in the legs and improves the mobility of the ankles.
Stand as before, then lift your left foot off the ground and point your toes. Circle and rotate them clockwise (using the ankle only, not the leg). Do this 15 times, then repeat anticlockwise 15 times.
Repeat with the right foot.
Strength exercises for legs, tums and bums
Ballet
This exercise works legs and bottom muscles (gluteals).
Hold onto a chair with your right hand. Stand tall – remember your posture! For balance, stretch out your left arm like a ballet dancer. Point the toes and swing your left leg forwards and backwards, working the muscles of the thigh, hip and bottom. Continue 10 times.
Turn around and hold the chair with your left hand, stretching out your right arm for balance. Swing the right leg as high as possible 10 times.
Bob and Lift
This exercise works the bottom muscles.
Turn to face the chair back and hold on with both hands. Slightly bend your right knee. Now bend your left knee and lift your left foot up off the floor. Straighten your right knee, standing upright at the same time, then straighten out your left leg and lift it up behind you, pointing your toes. Hold up for 5 seconds. Repeat 5 times, and feel your bottom muscles working.
Repeat 5 times on the other leg.
Front and Side Lifts
This exercise strengthens the quadriceps (front thigh muscles).
Stand and hold the back of the chair for support. Straighten the left leg, pointing your toes and lifting the leg high out in front. Hold for 5 seconds, and keep the supporting right leg soft. Hold the left leg as high as possible and take it on out to the side. Hold for 5 seconds. Relax the leg down. Repeat with the right leg.
Repeat 5 times with each leg. (Keep the supporting leg soft.)
Strength exercises for the back
Time to get down with some floor exercises to strengthen your back. Take care attempting these exercises if you suffer from back problems, and consult your GP first.
Kick Backs
This exercise tightens bottom muscles and strengthens the back.
Kneel comfortably with your hands on the floor, shoulder width apart. Drop the head down and lift your right knee forward and up to touch your forehead (or as near as possible). Pull in your stomach and arch up your back. With a smooth movement, look up and at the same time straighten your right knee and stretch back, holding for 5 seconds. Return to the original position.
Change knees and continue to kick back with the left leg, holding for 5 seconds.
Repeat 5 times with alternate legs.
High Lifts
This exercise tones and tightens bottom and thigh muscles (the quadriceps).
Kneel down. Bend your elbows, place the lower arms flat on the floor, with your hands together. Bend forward to rest your head on your hands – you can use a pillow if this is more comfortable. Pull up your tummy muscles and don’t let your back sag.
Lift up and take the left leg back, bending the knee to 90˚ (a right angle), and keep your thigh parallel with the floor. With small, but controlled, movements, bob your bent left leg up and down 10 times. Keep both your hips facing downwards and feel your bottom muscles working.
Change legs and bob the right leg up and down 10 times.
Those of you who are more fit can attempt this exercise with a straight leg.
Side Lifts
This exercise works the gluteal (bottom) muscles.
Still kneeling, place your hands on the floor under your shoulders. Bend and lift up your left knee and out to the left side. Hold the knee up parallel to the floor. Pointing your toes, straighten your left leg out to the side, working the hip and thigh muscles. Keep the left knee up and repeat, bending and straightening the left leg 10 times.
Repeat with your right leg 10 times.
Bottom Lift
ROS Recommends
This exercise helps to maintain bone strength in the spine by strengthening the back muscles. It can also help with back pain caused by muscle spasm after spinal fractures.
This exercise works your hips, thighs and bottom.
Lie back on the floor, with your arms at your sides, and knees bent and shoulder-width apart. Clench your buttocks and pull in your tummy. Tilt the pelvis forward and lift your bottom off the ground, transferring the weight onto your shoulders. Hold for 5 seconds, then relax back down.
Repeat 5 times.
Abdominals
Now is the time to stretch and strengthen those tummy muscles, which work in conjunction with your back muscles to support your spine.
Lie on the floor and support your head with a small cushion, if uncomfortable.
Tummy Stretch
This exercise stretches out and relaxes the stomach muscles.
Lie with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and shoulder-width apart. Extend both arms out to your sides with the palms facing down. Keep your feet in contact with the floor throughout the stretch. Breathe in and, as you breathe out, twist only from your waist to take your knees over to your right side to touch the floor (or as far as comfortable). Keep your shoulders down on the ground, but turn your head to look over to the left as far as comfortable. Relax for 10 seconds and enjoy the stretch you feel right across your body. Breathing out slowly, return to the start position. Repeat taking your knees to the left and looking over to right.
(Closing your eyes will aid the relaxation.)
Legs
These exercises target muscles throughout the legs.
Abductors
This works the outer thigh muscle.
Lie on your right side and bend your knees, then stack them on top of each other, and curl them slightly forward (making a banana shape). With your right elbow on the floor, support your head with your hand. (Alternatively, stretch out your right arm, holding a small cushion for you to rest your head.) Place your left hand on the floor (in front of your waist) for support. Don’t roll forward or backwards!
Now pull in your tummy and tighten your bottom. Flex your left foot (pointing your toes towards your shin) and, keeping your knee bent, lift up your left leg. (Lead with your heel and keep your foot lower than your knee.) Relax back down.
Controlling both the up and the down movement, lift and lower 10 times – feel the outside thigh muscle working.
Roll over and repeat lifting and lowering with the right leg.
Abductors 2
This increases the intensity of the previous exercise to strengthen the outer thigh muscle.
Lie on your right side.
Flex your toes, but straighten your top left leg and lift it up as high as possible, leading with your heel. Remember to keep your tum and bum tight throughout the exercise. Complete 10 lifts.
Roll over to your left side and repeat the exercise with a straight right leg.
(You can add leg weights to increase the intensity still further.)
Adductor
This exercise works the inner thigh muscle.
Lie on your left side.
Place the right hand in front of your waist for support and take your right leg over your left knee, bending the right knee and placing it on the floor. Now straighten out your lower left leg (in a straight line with your upper body) and flex your left foot. Lead with your heel and lift and lower with short, sharp movements 15–20 times. Feel the small inner thigh muscles working!
Roll over to your right side, then take your left knee over to the floor and repeat this ‘pulsing’ movement with your right leg 15–20 times.
Double Leg Lift
This exercise strengthens the abdominals and firms the thigh muscles.
Lie on your left side, one hip stacked on top of the other, with your head supported on your outstretched arm, palm up. Use a pillow if it is more comfortable. Place your right hand on the floor for support in front of your body and slightly curve your legs and hips forward from your waist. Breathe in, and as you breathe out, lift both legs up off the floor about 10 cm (4 inches), pressing them tight together. Hold for a count of 5, then repeat 5 times.
Roll over to your right side and repeat 5 times.
Stretches
You’ve worked your muscles hard. Now it’s time to stretch them out again to help keep your body supple.
Hamstring Stretch
This exercise lengthens hamstring muscles (the backs of the thighs) and releases a tight lower back.
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Lift your right leg and place your hands behind your thigh to support it. Breathe in. To protect your back, ensure that your waist is pushed down into the floor and your pelvis tilted up. As you breathe out, pull in your tummy, straighten the leg and lift it up as high as possible. Flex your foot and hold for 10 seconds. Carefully place the foot down on the floor and repeat with your left leg.
(Use an exercise band around your foot if this is difficult for you.)
Quadriceps Stretch
This exercise stretches out the quadriceps (the front of the thighs).
Roll over onto your tummy, keeping your head and shoulders down on the floor. With your left hand, reach behind you, bending your left knee and grasping the ankle (not the toes). Gently ease your foot towards your bottom or as far as comfortable and feel the stretch in your front thigh. Hold for 10 seconds.
If you find this difficult, use an exercise band around your ankle and pull up towards your bottom as far as possible.
Repeat with the right hand and ankle and stretch out for 10 seconds.
(If you have trouble getting down on the floor, this stretch can be performed standing using an exercise band and with a chair back for support.)
Calf Stretch
This exercise stretches out the back muscles of your lower leg (calf).
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, facing a wall or using a chair for support. Place your hands against the wall at shoulder level with arms straight. Keep both feet facing forward.
Now take your right foot back behind you and, keeping your leg straight, press your right heel down hard and push against the wall with your arms straight. Feel the stretch in your right calf. Hold for 10 seconds.
Repeat with the left leg.
Floor exercises
The Cat
To stretch out your spine, kneel down and place your hands on the floor under your shoulders with fingers facing forwards. Breathe in, pull up your tummy muscles and arch up your back (like a cat does on waking) and at the same time drop your head down to look through your knees. Hold for 10 seconds.
Relax back down, stick out your bottom and lift your head up. Hold that position for 10 seconds, and then relax back down.
Such a good feeling: it helps ease out that stiff back!
The Flyer
ROS Recommends
An ‘extension’ exercise that helps to maintain spinal bone strength by strengthening the back muscles.
This exercise strengthens your spine.
Lie on your tummy. Take your arms out to your sides. Bend your elbows and place your hands on the floor under your shoulders, palms down. Keep your chin on the floor and breathe in. Keep your head, chest and arms in a straight line as you breathe out and lift them up together off the floor . . . like a flying bird. Keep looking down (don’t throw your head back). Breathe out and relax down.
Repeat 5 times. It’s a small but strong movement, so build up slowly.
The pelvic floor
Before continuing, here is a simple exercise that I consider to be very important – especially for all of us women. Incontinence can sometimes be a complication after many spinal fractures have caused spinal curvature and height loss. So let’s spend time to strengthen the pelvic floor, the sling of internal muscles that support the bladder, womb and back passage. This simple exercise is one you can do anytime, anywhere, to help prevent gynaecological and incontinence problems. It will also improve posture and help prevent backache.
Pelvic ‘Flaws’
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet slightly apart. There is no visible movement during this exercise. First, tighten the front passage (as if you are trying to stop spending a penny). Hold. Now tighten the vagina and hold, and finally tighten the muscles in the back passage and hold. Close your eyes, concentrate and continue pulling up all the muscles at the same time. Hold for a count of 5, then relax.
Repeat 5 times.
Relax
Finally, rest and relax.
To rest and relax, lie on your back and support your head with a small cushion. Place another small cushion behind your knees and thighs. Place your hands comfortably on your tummy. Breathe in deeply, taking the breath into your abdomen, and feel the rise and fall of your tum with your fingers. Close your eyes, then continue breathing deeply and relax for a few minutes. Take care getting up off the floor. Turn on to your side, then with your hands gently push yourself up onto one knee and carefully stand up.
