Move · Videos · Technique · 3 min

Getting Down to the Floor and Back Up Safely

Getting Down to the Floor and Back Up Safely — video by HouseFit Physical Therapy & Fitness Play · 2:56

Video by HouseFit Physical Therapy & Fitness on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A physical therapist from a clinic for adults 55+ shows three ways to get down to the floor and back up, two without a chair and one using a chair, for playing with grandchildren or after a slip or trip. Practise before you need it.

  • 3 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • chair

Good forHealthy ageing

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Step by step 6

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Down without a chair: step wide into a football stance and walk your hands down to all fours. 0:36
  2. Back up: tuck your toes, walk your hands back, lift your knees and push up from your knees to stand. 0:54
  3. If balance is shaky: take a big step back with a hand on your knee and lower yourself down. 1:16
  4. Up again from there: swing a leg round, bring a hand to your knee, tuck the toe and push up tall. 1:38
  5. With a chair: hands on the armrests or seat, a long step back, lower to your knees, then hands down. 1:52
  6. Up with the chair: hands on the chair, step one foot forward, push up to stand and steady yourself. 2:22

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • To go down, step wide into a football stance and walk your hands down to all fours
  • To get up, tuck your toes, walk your hands back and push off your knees
  • If balance is shaky, take a big step back and keep one hand on your knee

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 2 takes load

  • Hips takes loadwide squat down, pushing up to stand
  • Knees takes loadwide squat down, kneeling, getting up
  • Shoulders moveshands carry some weight on all fours
  • Wrists & hands moveshands walk down to all fours and back
  • Lower back movesbending forward to the floor
  • Ankles & feet movestucked toes, big step back
  • Kneeling. Pressure on the kneecaps — a folded towel or cushion under the knees helps.
  • Weight on your hands. The wrists bend back under load. Fists, push-up handles or your forearms ease it.
  • Down on the floor. You get down to the floor and back up again.

Easier option from the coach: Chair version: hands on the armrest or seat, crawl to the chair to get up

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by HouseFit Physical Therapy & Fitness; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety