I visited my grandpa at his assisted living center last week. He was elated to see my face because his assisted living community was prohibited from public visits due to COVID restrictions. As we chatted about what projects he was tinkering with and the social interactions he had with his fellow residents, he mentioned a few maladies that weighed upon him. He shared that in his advanced age, his lower back and right knee were hurting.
He elaborated on the mechanism of injury that occurred to cause his back pain. As he was performing his daily exercise routine utilizing his TRX suspension trainer that he affixed to the wall on his patio, the strap came loose and he feel backwards, landing in an awkward position on his tailbone. Discouraged the by event, my grandpa mentioned to me some exercises he did to help correct the injury. “I might be 99, but your grandpa doesn’t give up,” he exclaimed.
As my grandpa updated me about his life during my visit, he wanted to show me a few projects he was working on. Then something astonishing occurred, he effortlessly stood up from his chair. Sure, this seems like a normal occurrence for the general population. However, for someone who fell backwards and damaged their tailbone at the age of 99, let alone with a pain ridden deteriorating 99-year-old knee that has never been operated on, standing up without the assistance of grabbing onto a supporting object or pushing on his knees for assistance was quite remarkable.
As he shuffled across the room, I noted that his living premises were impeccably clean, tidy and organized. “Grandpa, do you have a cleaning service that helps clean your place?” I asked. “No, I would never hire a maid.” He answered. Just as baffled from his ascent from his chair, I was increasingly impressed by the evidence that he organizes his living space all by himself. Clean countertop, no dishes in the sink, toothpaste, floss, and early morning drinking glass clean and ready to go by his bathroom sink.
Despite injures, previous surgeries, or the advance of age, getting in and out of chair is critical to our longevity. The ability to effortlessly get up from a chair gets the body moving in various settings. In my grandpas’ case, getting up and down from a chair sets the tone for other events throughout his life. Staying mobile enough to keep his dwelling organized even through his movement is hindered would not be possible had he not been able to effectively get up out seated positions regularly. Additionally, if he can efficiently get up and down from his chair, this probably helped him get up from the ground after his accident that left him with an injured coccyx.
The first exercises we focus on with newer personal training clients who are underconditioned are lower body strengthening, balance, and core exercises. During my visit with my grandpa, he inquired about what exercises would help his back. Ironically, I went over an exercise that we teach the majority of our personal training clients who suffer from lower back pain, the posterior pelvic tilt. I informed my grandpa that he can perform this exercise while sitting, standing, or laying on the ground. I first reminded him to appreciate what good posture was. I reminded him to line his ribs up over his hips and ensure his ears were in line with his neck. This way his head would not hunch forward. Then I told him to put his hands on the crests of his hips and “tuck his hips toward his ribs.” He mentioned that he felt his abs and glutes activating throughout the movement. I told him to do this at least 10 times a day in an effort to strengthen the muscles around his spine and hips.
It may seem like a simple task, but efficiently getting in and out seated positions is critical to our functionality as humans. Perhaps we can use this as a guide to manage our fitness levels. If we are impeded by pain, weakness, or lack of mobility to the point we are having trouble getting out of seated positions, perhaps it is time to take a look at what we can do to improve our health, strength, and overall quality of life.
Sean McCawley, the founder and owner of Napa Tenacious Fitness in Napa, CA, welcomes questions and comments. Reach him at 707-287-2727, napatenacious@gmail.com or visit the website napatenaciousfitness.com.
