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The Ground Test: Why It Matters More Than You Think

Imagine this: you’re at home, and something rolls under the couch. You kneel down to grab it, but when it’s time to get back up, it feels harder than it used to. Sound familiar?

For many people, getting up and down from the ground isn’t something we think about—until the day we realize it’s a challenge. But here’s the truth: this simple movement is one of the most powerful tools we have for staying independent and preventing falls.

Why It’s So Important

  • Falls happen—even to healthy, active people. The difference comes down to how safely and confidently you can get up afterward.
  • Strong legs, core, and balance are your safety net. The same muscles that help you rise from the ground are the ones that help keep you steady on your feet.
  • Independence is freedom. Whether it’s gardening, playing with grandkids, or exercising, the ability to move to and from the ground keeps life joyful and active.

How to Practice Safely

  • Start with a sturdy chair: practice sitting and standing without using your hands
  • Work your way to softer surfaces, like a yoga mat or carpeted floor
  • Strengthen your “power muscles”—legs, hips, and core—with exercises like squats and step-ups
  • Always keep something stable nearby for support, especially when you’re just starting out
  • If you can’t kneel, there are other options! You can use pillows or cushions under your knees or you could scoot on your buttock instead of crawling and scoot up and onto a chair or other furniture using your arms and legs without knees being on the ground.

The Takeaway

Being able to get down—and back up—might not sound glamorous, but it’s a lifesaving skill. It builds strength, confidence, and resilience. The more you practice now, the more secure and independent you’ll feel in the years ahead.

So here’s a challenge: next time you’re at home, give it a try. Sit down on the floor, then get back up—safely, at your own pace. You may want to make sure you are not home alone and you have enough support around you if you need it.  It might surprise you how empowering it feels!

Please let me know if you have any questions or need more details and strategies to work on getting up and down from the ground more easily. Hope your first week of Fall is off to a great start!

Fall Prevention, Fitness, Grandparents, Health and Wellness, Tips, , , , ,

The Importance of Foot Health for your Balance

Feet play a critical role in balance, mobility, and overall stability, especially as we age. Here’s why they matter so much—and how they can impact balance:

1. Foundation of the Body

Feet are literally our foundation. Each foot has 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments, all working together to support movement and posture. When something’s off—sensation, pain, other abnormalities—it can affect everything from the knees to the hips and back, throwing off balance.

2. Sensory Feedback and Proprioception

Feet have a high concentration of nerve endings that provide sensory feedback to the brain about body position—this is known as proprioception. As we age, these nerve signals may slow or diminish (especially in conditions like diabetes and neuropathy), reducing our ability to detect shifts in terrain or posture—making falls more likely.

3. Muscle Strength and Flexibility

The small muscles in the feet and ankles contribute to adjusting weight distribution and stabilizing the body. Weakness in these muscles can result in unsteady gait, poor posture, and a higher risk of tripping or losing balance.

4. Changes with Age

As we age, common foot-related issues may arise but we can make changes and modifications to make the best of it:

  • Reduced fat padding, leading to discomfort while walking.
  • Arthritis, causing stiffness or pain in foot joints.
  • Poor circulation, which can lead to cold or numb feet.
  • Deformities (bunions, hammertoes) that affect walking mechanics.

5. Footwear Matters

Improper shoes—too narrow, too loose, or lacking support—can greatly impair balance. As people age, shoes that once worked may no longer provide the needed support or traction.

Ways to Improve Foot Health for your Balance

  • Daily foot exercises (toe curls/scrunches, toe spreads ( spread your toes wide apart), walking around your house barefoot, practicing standing on one leg and tandem stance for balance
  • Proper footwear (supportive, non-slip soles, good arch support, ideally having a back to them)
  • Regular foot exams—especially for those with diabetes, neuropathy, or circulation issues. Check for any cuts, swelling, discoloration, changes in sensation.
  • Stretching and strengthening the lower legs and ankles – can do calf stretches and ankle circles, sit to stands, heel and toe raises etc.
Fall Prevention, Health and Wellness, Tips, , , , , , ,

Spring Better Your Balance Challenge

Here is the PDF of the Spring balance challenge. You can print it yourself, I can print it out for you or you can get a copy at the Perinton Rec Center and Pittsford Senior Center.

I have also made a video with demonstrations of the exercises and the link for that is here: https://youtu.be/0rr4IophTmk?si=ai3Jeqx9avHjeCQE

If you have any questions please let me know! If you would like ways to make it a little less challenging or more challenging please let me know and I’d be happy to accommodate. Have fun with it and get ready for all the nice weather activities ahead 🙂

Spring-25-Balance-ChallengeDownload
28 Day Balance Challenge, Fall Prevention, Fitness, Health and Wellness, Spring Balance Challenge, , , , ,

Your Grip Strength Can Tell More About You Than You May Realize

I’m sure grip strength is not something you think about everyday, I definitely don’t. I think we may only think about it when we have trouble opening a jar (or maybe that’s just me). If you do think about it and work on it then that is fabulous! If not, here are some reasons why it is important to maintain and/or improve good grip strength.

Grip strength is a good marker for how well you are aging. People who have good grip strength age more slowly compared to those with weak grip strength which tends to lead to more frailty. 

Grip strength can tell a lot about a person’s general body strength, especially upper body strength. 

We need good grip strength for daily activities, of course opening jars but also things like carrying groceries, sweeping, vacuuming, gardening, holding a jug of milk/juice/coffee etc. 

We also need good grip strength for preventing falls. If we lose our balance we need to be able to reach out and grip anything close by to regain our balance and avoid a fall. Good grip strength allows us to grab and hold onto railings solidly and confidently which can also prevent a fall.

Since we need it for a lot of activities, we not only need strength but we also need to have the endurance to grip for lengths of time for carrying/holding objects. 

Grip strength can start declining around the age of 50, key word is can…which means it doesn’t have to if you work at or if you frequently use your hand muscles. I say this a lot but it is true that you can always improve it no matter what your age and story is. 

How to make sure your maintain or improve your grip strength:

1) Use resistance bands and hand weights for exercise, both require grip strength.

2) Use a tennis ball, stress ball, or something similar to squeeze. Squeeze and hold that for 10 seconds and do it 10 times. Then do the same thing but this time, do it as quickly as possible grip and release without holding for 10-20 repetitions.

3) Use a towel, can be any size, and pretend to wring it out, both directions for 1 minute

4) There are grip strengtheners that you can purchase for under $10 at places like amazon that have varying resistance.

With all the technology we have today, we use our finger muscles less, with less button pressing etc. There are so many things that are touch screen, automatic or voice activated so it is helpful to do exercises regularly to stay strong. 

There are other grip, finger, forearm exercises that can also help so please reach out if you would like more guidance. 

Fall Prevention, Fitness, Health and Wellness, Tips, , ,

Exercise for Brain Health

Need Another Reason or Motivation to Exercise?

Exercise has many health benefits but did you know it enhances brain health? It can improve cognition and reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases as we age. 

Also good news, any exercise is beneficial for brain health! If you combine aerobic exercises and resistance training (strength) it can be even better for your brain. 

The recommendation is to exercise at a moderate intensity for 150 minutes a week. It takes approximately 6 months to reap the cognitive benefits, so build it into your routine. 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week is ideal.

Other top exercises for brain health include sports like pickleball, golf, tennis, etc., as well as dance and tai chi. Sports are great for executive function. Sports involve a lot of coordination, thinking, quick reactions, decisions, and strategy all while moving which is great for the brain.

So how does exercise help your brain? It stimulates growth of new blood vessels in the brain and it increases blood flow to the brain. It promotes neuroplasticity which is the brain’s  ability to form new neural connections. Recent studies and research has shown that you can form new neural connections no matter what age you are. More good news, it’s never too late to start exercising for brain health. 

If you really want to improve brain health while exercising you can challenge yourself with Dual Tasking. Dual tasks involve a motor and cognitive task combined.  Basically, a movement with a cognitive task at the same time. Here are some examples of dual task exercises:

1)  Walk and count backwards, or count by 2’s, name food items, memorize a list, etc.

2) Hold a balance position like standing on one leg, feet close together, or standing with feet heel to toe while saying the alphabet

3) March in place and name movie stars, animals, colors or any other category you want.

4) Walk and talk with a friend, family member etc.

Give it a try! If you have any questions or comments please let me know 🙂

Fitness, , ,

Is it Time to Change up your Walking Routine?

Walking is one of the best things you can do for your health and there are ways to change it up to make it even better!

Change speeds! This challenges your balance and your muscles more than maintaining one speed for the duration of your walk.

If you walk the same route everyday try reversing it or walking somewhere new. This also helps keep your brain stimulated.

Try to include inclines and declines,( as long as you can do it safely), to work your muscles differently. This can also challenge your balance and posture. Make sure on the inclines you can remain up tall instead of leaning forward.

To work another set of muscles (the backs of your legs), as well as coordination and balance, try to add in walking backwards, safely of course.

Interval walking is a great way to change up your routine. It has both cardiovascular and muscular benefits. Recent studies in Japan found it also improved sleep, mood, metabolism, decreased blood pressure, and reduced age regulated muscle loss. Working on walking faster also helps improve your muscle power and balance.

The Japanese study found 3 minutes of fast walking and 3 minutes of moderate walking for 30 minutes total to be most beneficial, but I would recommended starting out with shorter bursts of fast walking. Example: start with 30 seconds fast walking and then 1-2 minutes of moderate walking.

How fast do you have to walk? Well it is up to you!

For maximum benefit, aim for increasing your heart rate and having a harder time conversing/talking. You will be slightly out of breath. Fast is considered to be 70% of your maximum effort.

For moderate walking speed, you want to be able to catch your breath and be able to walk while having a conversation. Moderate is considered to be 40% of your maximum effort.

Interval walking can be done anywhere, indoors or outdoors. It can be done for any fitness/ walking level. Doing it 3-4 times a week is recommended. I personally think that interval walking makes the time go by fast but also it’s more efficient because you don’t have to spend as much time doing it to be effective!

As always, let me know if you have questions or would like help with changing your walking routine!

Fitness, Health and Wellness, Tips, walking, , , , ,

Another reason to add planks and wall sits to your routine

If you have high blood pressure or would like to maintain your current blood pressure planks and wall sits can help! 

A large study done in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that wall sits and planks (isometrics) reduced blood pressure more than aerobic/ cardio exercise, High intensity interval training and resistance training. All of these exercise programs helped to reduce blood pressure but the isometric exercises had the most significant reduction in both systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure.

Planks and wall Sits (also known as wall squats) are isometric exercises. Isometrics focus on the tightening/contracting of a muscle or muscle group where the joints don’t move and the muscles don’t change length. This type of exercises uses only body weight in a static position to strengthen and stabilize. 

They key for doing these exercises correctly is to slowly breathe in and out as you do them. You do not want to hold your breather or strain. That would actually increase your blood pressure!

When done correctly, isometrics can improve blood flow through the muscles being used, in turn reducing blood pressure.

Now of course this doesn’t mean other forms of exercise aren’t important but this is good news for a simple way to improve Blood pressure. These exercises can be done anywhere, anytime and you only need a wall to be able to complete. 

Wall sits strengthen glutes(buttock), quads(tighs) and core.

Planks strengthen your back, shoulders and core.

These can be modified if needed. Planks can be done using a wall or counter instead of on the floor. If doing them on the floor you can modify to doing them on your knees and progress if/when able to.

Doing these 3 times a week and increasing how long you can hold them for and work toward doing it 4 times with rest in between is recommended. 

Of course there are always options to make these exercises more challenging such as holding  a weight for a wall sit or changing/varying positions for planks.

If you would like further instruction on how to do these exercises or have any questions contact A to Z Personal Wellness.

Fitness, Health and Wellness, Tips, , ,

Recommended Home Exercise Equipment

These items are what I use frequently, are versatile and are great for using at home!

Of course it is not necessary to purchase since I bring everything with me to sessions, but this is just if you want to purchase anything for yourself:)

Exercise Loop Bands – Several levels of resistance, light weight, doesn’t take up much space and can be used anywhere. They can be used for various lower body, upper body and core exercises.

https://amzn.to/3TvlQxe

Exercise Bands with Handles– Various levels of resistance, lightweight and doesn’t take up much space. Can also be used in many spots of the house and for many different exercises.

https://amzn.to/3Iv3gPs

Door Anchor for resistance bands 

https://amzn.to/3PiDuBX

Balance Pad – Great for challenging your balance but also works as a cushion for any kneeling exercises

https://amzn.to/3TaEl8X

Adjustable Ankle/Wrist Weights – can be used on both wrists and ankles and weights in them can adjusted to be made lighter or heavier

https://amzn.to/3TvlJ4Y

Fitness, Health and Wellness, Recommended Exercise Equipment

Some Tips for Decreasing that Stiffness Feeling

Do you wake up in the morning feeling stiffness or after sitting try to stand up and feel stiff?

So why are you feeling so stiff? There can be several reasons for stiffness in specific areas of your body or just general stiffness. As we age, the amount of fluid lubricating our joints decreases and cartilage may also become thinner. Arthritis and lack of activity/movement can also cause increased stiffness. Also, if only certain muscles are being used that can also cause tightness and of course weakness in other muscles 

Why is the stiffness worse first thing in the morning or after sitting for awhile? Because those or the times when we are not moving for long periods of time. The fluid our joints need to be lubricated comes from movement.

So the simple answer to stiffness is keep moving!  Just remember “motion is lotion.”

Now finding the right movements is key because you don’t want painful movements.

Avoid those long periods of sitting or at least break them up with some movement every 30 minutes. 

If you are sitting for long periods of time or are always stiff when you get up after sitting, try to do some movements seated before you get up. 

Examples include – ankle circles or pointing your toes up and down to loosen your ankles, extend your leg out so that your leg/knee is straight and then bend it and repeat it several times. You can also try to round your back and then arch/extend your back into a nice tall postural position and repeat several times. Moving your leg to the side and then back and switching to the other leg and repeating several times can also help.

Here are some other ways to decrease joint and muscle stiffness that you can add into your daily routine:

  1. Daily stretching, could be stretching done before getting out of bed
  2. Stay hydrated – helps joints stay lubricated
  3. Move frequently throughout the day- doesn’t have to be for long periods of time or anything strenuous
  4. Stay warm – take a hot shower, wear layers, possibly crank up the heat in your house or wear extra layers, heating pad or hot packs can also help with this. Warmth increases blood flow and decreases stiffness. Cold causes muscles to tighten.

If you have questions or would like further guidance on movements that can help decrease stiffness feel free to reach out. 

Fitness, Health and Wellness, Tips