OTAGO STRENGTH & BALANCE

1 Later Life Training Ltd Copyright V3 2017 - & BALANCEHome exercise Programme - BeginnersLater Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - you want to live life to the full? Doing the exercises in thisbooklet at least twice a week, in addition to taking a daily walkcan help keep you strong and walk steadily, reducing the risk exercises have been used in STRENGTH and balanceprogrammes across the world and are based on the OtagoExercise Programme (OEP) which has been shown to reducefalls and injuries due to , set aside a time to do all (or some) of the , you can do these exercises as part of youreveryday routine for example, try a one leg stand while waitingfor the kettle to boil, or do the sit to stand exercise during theadvertisements on you choose to do the exercises throughout the day, do a littlemarch first to warm yourself up and prepare for Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - that the chair you use is sturdy and stable or use a moresturdy support such as the kitchen worktop or breakfast table ifyour instructor/therapist recommends this.

2 Wear comfortableclothes and supportive a space and have your ankle weights and a glass ofwater (for afterwards) ready before you exercising, if you experience chest pain, dizziness orsevere shortness of breath, stop immediately and contact yourGP (or call an ambulance if you feel very unwell and yoursymptoms do not go away when you stop exercising).If you experience pain in your joints or muscles, stop, checkyour position and try again. If the pain persists, seek advicefrom your Postural Stability , feeling your muscles working or slight musclesoreness the next day after exercise is normal and shows thatthe exercises are normally throughout and enjoy to do these exercises three times per you are using this booklet without attending a supervisedexercise session, consult your GP to check it is suitable for read disclaimer at the back of this Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - Up ExercisesAlways begin with a warm up to prepare your body for themain are 4 warm up them all if you are doing your exercises in you decide to spread your exercises over the day do theMarch exercise before you move on to do your STRENGTH , BALANCE or stretch.

3 While waiting forthe kettle to the exercises are tips orsuggestions of when you could do theseexercises in your own daily routine, to helpmake them more of a Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - Stand tall (holding your support if needed) or sit tall March slowly, lifting the knees Build to a rhythm that is comfortable for you If you feel steady, add an arm swing with one or both arms Continue marching for 1 - 2 minutesTIP:At the exercise helps warmthe muscles and preparesthe body for movementSAFETY POINTHold a secure supportto meet your BALANCE needsLater Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - Movements Stand tall with your feet hip width apart and arms restingloosely by your sides or hold the chair Turn the head slowly to the left then slowly to the right asfar as you can Ensure that the shoulders stay still so only the head ismoving Repeat 5 timesTIP:At the windowand hold the POINTHold a secure supportto meet your BALANCE needsThis exercise helpsyou look over yourshoulder in the car orin shops and reducesstiffness at the neckLater Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - Extension Stand tall with your feet hip width apart Place your hands onto your bottom Gently arch your back looking straight ahead Avoid looking at the ceiling or locking out your knees Repeat 5 timesTIP.

4 While you arelistening to POINTHold a secure supportto meet your BALANCE needsThis exercise helpsopen the chest andimprove postureLater Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - Movements Stand tall with your feet hip width apart Fold the arms in front of the chest or place one hand on thechair Lengthen and lift the trunk upwards then slowly turn thehead and shoulders to the right Ensure you are only turning the upper body (not the hips) Return to the start position and repeat to the other side Repeat 5 timesTIP:At thekitchen POINTHold a secure supportto meet your BALANCE needsThis exercise loosensthe spine and helpswith putting on seatbelts, looking overyour shoulder andturning in bedLater Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - and BalanceThese are 5 exercises to help to improve your BALANCE andyour muscle to complete them all, unless instructed otherwise by yourOtago exercise Programme you choose to do the exercises throughout the day, do alittle march first to warm yourself up and prepare for you have ankle weights put them on Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - Knee Strengthener Sit back in the chair with your back supported and your feetunder your knees Brush one foot along the floor then lift the ankle slowly andstraighten (but do not lock out)

5 Your knee Lower the foot with control Aim to lift for a slow count of 3 and lower for a slow count of5 each time Repeat up to 10 times on one leg then change legsTIP:While watching exercise will strengthen yourleg muscles making getting out ofa low chair and using stairs easierLater Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - Hip Strengthener Stand tall with your feet hip width apart holding yoursupport Lift the leg slowly out to the side keeping the toes pointingforwards Avoid leaning the body to the side Place the weight back over both feet to rest briefly Repeat up to 10 times on one leg then change legs Aim to lift for a slow count of 3 and lower for a slow countof 5 each timeNow take off you ankle weights if you are wearing themTIP:At thedining POINTHold a secure supportto meet your BALANCE needsThis exercise helpsstrengthen the sideof the leg musclesso it will be easierto get out of a caror the bath or stepsidewaysLater Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - Raises Stand tall with your feet hip width apart, holding yoursupport Slowly lift the heels keeping the weight over the big toes Avoid locking the knees Aim to lift for a slow count of 3 and lower for a slow countof 5 each time Repeat 10 - 20 timesTIP.

6 At the POINTHold a secure supportto meet your BALANCE needsThis exercise willhelp your balanceif you have tostep over objectsand improve yoursteadiness whenwalkingLater Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - Raises Sit tall at the front of the chair Hold the sides of the chair Place the heel of one foot on the floor then lift your toesup in the air as high as you can + hold for a slow count of 5 Repeat with the other foot Repeat 5 times on each footTIP:During exercise willhelp ensure youlift your toesmore easilywhen steppingover things andreduce yourchance of fallingbackwardsLater Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - to Stand Sit tall near the front of the chair Place your feet slightly back Lean forwards slightly Stand up (using your hands on the chair if needed) slowly Step back until your legs touch the chair Slowly lower your bottom back into the chair, reaching forthe chair as you lower if needed Repeat up to 10 timesTIP:At the end of aTV exercise will help improvethe ease you can get out of achair or squat to do thingsLater Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - to perform the following stretch at the end of yoursession or daily.

7 It will help with walking and stabilityTIP:Sitting on thetoilet (lid down). Sit forwards in the chair and hold on Keep one knee bent and directly above the ankle Straighten the other leg with the heel resting on the floor Pull the toes back towards the shin until you feel a stretchin the calf Hold for 10 - 15 seconds, making sure the knee is notlocked out Relax and repeat on the other sideCalf StretchThis stretch willhelp ensure youlift your toeswhen walking andget your shoesand socks onmore easilyLater Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - !Well done! You have finished your exercises. Try to do theseexercises three times per week. Set a day and a time aside for asecond session now, or try to do the exercises as part of yourdaily routine. Our tips may give you some ideas. It would be bestif these exercises become a habit!Regular performance of these exercises will, over time, makeyou feel stronger and steadier.

8 They have also been shown tohelp your brain, reduce injuries and improve quality of life. Whynot get exercising with your family or a ProgressionOnce you are performing the BALANCE exercises with confidenceon a regular basis, you should aim to GRADUALLY reduce theamount of hand support you use. This can be done by releasingyour little fingers to see if you can still maintain your next step is to release your ring fingers and when you havemastered this, your middle fingers so that you are now balancingby supporting only with your index fingers. Make sure youmaster balancing at each stage before progressing to the Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - DiaryIt sometimes helps to keep an exercise diary. This will remind you whenyou last did your exercises and is a place to note anything you want toremember or if you are part of an exercise group, you may want to sharewith your OTAGO exercise Programme (eg.)

9 Monday 2nd January )Comments(eg. Did not do a specific exercise , feel youhave improved doing a particular exercise , didsome walking today, did 2 STRENGTH and balanceexercises today)Later Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - DiaryDate(eg. Monday 2nd January )Comments(eg. Did not do a specific exercise , feel youhave improved doing a particular exercise , didsome walking today, did 2 STRENGTH and balanceexercises today)Later Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - STRENGTH and BALANCE ?Strong muscles help maintain bone health as well as protectingyour joints. Regular STRENGTH exercises can reduce pain fromarthritic joints as well as boosting your body s natural immunityto is the ability to stay upright when you are knocked, orto stay steady if you have to walk along a narrow foot we walk, we spend a lot of time with only one foot on theground, this makes the brain work hard to keep us upright andthis requires a lot of practice to get right.

10 Just as a young childhas to practice to walk, as we get older we have to practicebalance challenging activities to maintain good Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - now know that long periods of sitting, like watching thetelevision all evening, are not good for our health. The morewe sit, the more likely we are to get thicker around the waist,develop diabetes, become less mobile and have a low who get up more regularly and break up long periods ofsitting (every 1 - 2 hours at least) are more mobile and to break up long periods of sitting Stand up after a few chapters of your book Remain standing while the kettle boils Do one of the standing exercises in this bookletSit LessLater Life Training Ltd Copyright V4a 2018 - would like to acknowledge the following content resources:The OTAGO exercise Programme, Professor John Campbell & Dr ClareRobertson. ACC New Zealand, MC, et al. Effectiveness and economic evaluation of a nursedelivered home exercise program to prevent falls 1: A randomizedcontrolled trial.