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Five Effective Chair Exercises to Help Strengthen the Legs

Your dad’s leg strength has diminished over the years. His doctor has him making improvements to build stamina and power, and one of them involves chair exercises to help with balance and strength. What are the most effective chair exercises?

Ankle Stretches

With both feet on the floor, your dad will lift his toes. He wants the heel to be the only part remaining in contact with the floor. He’ll tighten his calf muscles as he does this. Now, he’ll lift his leg and point the toes at the wall. Rotate his ankle clockwise twice and counter-clockwise twice.

Once he’s completed these stretches, he switches and does the same with his other ankle. Ideally, he should aim for ten stretches on each ankle and increase from there.

Arm Lifts

Make sure your dad’s back is flat against the back of his chair. He will raise one arm at a diagonal so that his elbow is heading for the opposite shoulder. Repeat this with the other arm. He should work to get the arm as high up as he can. Do this ten times with each one.

Knee Extensions

Your dad wants to sit with his spine straight and against the back of the chair. He’ll lift one foot and bring his leg so that it’s parallel to the floor. Hold that for a count of five and slowly lower it. Switch legs and repeat the exercise. He should aim for ten knee extensions at first and increase the number when he feels confident doing so.

Seated Jumping Jacks

Your dad can’t do a real jumping jack yet, but he can do a seated one. While seated, he’ll lift his arms over his head. Lower his arms so that they’re in a straight line from the shoulders. Bring them back up.

While he’s doing the arm portion of a jumping jack, he also wants to stretch his legs so that they’re at least 18 inches apart. Being in socks makes this easier. Shoes will drag on the flooring. Once they’re apart, he’ll draw them back together.

Seated Marching

From his seated position, your dad will start marching. He wants to bring the knee so that it’s level or higher than his hip. As he builds strength, he’ll be able to get the leg up higher than a week before. He should aim to march for a few minutes each day.

As your dad builds leg strength, arranging in-home care to help him with household chores is a fantastic idea. He’ll be stronger soon and back to his regular routines, but it takes time.

In-home care is also helpful in keeping your dad motivated. Exercising can be challenging, especially if you’re alone. Your dad may feel more encouraged to keep trying if he has companionship. Hire caregivers to cheer him on while he completes his daily exercise program. Call an in-home care specialist to make arrangements.