GET A STEP UP ON YOUR HEALTH by Krista Leake PT, DPT, ATC, Doctor of Physical Therapy | Certified Athletic Trainer
What is an easy quick way to build strength in your legs and to improve cardiovascular health? Climb Stairs! They are free and easy to use, and you may not even need to leave your home. Research shows that climbing stairs helps to strengthen and tone leg muscles, improves
Too easy? Hold a dumbbell or weighted object in the opposite hand of the stepping leg. 3. Side-step ups: Stand at the bottom of the stairs with your feet parallel or sideways to the stairs with the right side of your body closest to the stairs. Step the right foot completely up onto the first step and straighten your knee and then slowly bend your right knee and lower your left foot back to the floor. Continue until you reach your goal repetitions and then repeat on the other side. Too easy? Hold a weighted object or dumbbell in the opposite hand as the stepping leg. Safety: Good balance is a must for any stair activity. Use a railing if balance is off or you feel unsteady. Ideally you should be able to balance on one foot for 30 seconds without holding on to something to safely do these exercises without holding on. If you have any difficulty with stair climbing or balance or any pain with stairs, then seek help from a physical therapist. A physical therapist will be able to do an examination and develop a plan using treatment techniques to improve pain, balance, and strength to get you back up and down those stairs with ease.
blood flow which equals a healthier heart and body. A simple stroll up and down gives you a workout but there are so many other ways to use the stairs to give yourself a health boost. 1. Repeated stair climbing: Go up and down the stairs for 3 minutes after a meal and this may help to control blood sugar! Too easy? Increase your time to 5 minutes each time. 2. Step ups: Stand in front of the bottom step and step up onto the bottom step with your right foot entirely on the step and then place your left foot completely on the bottom step. Then reverse the process by stepping back to the floor with your left and then your right. Continue doing that until you reach your goal number of repetitions such as 15. Then repeat on the other foot.
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