Leg Extension Exercise can be done whenever sitting down

From Montana Office on Aging and Brilliant Aging

Weeks of sedentary days can threaten your independence. Join us for simple activities you can do at home to support independence a resilience.

Losing physical function was considered a normal part of aging, but now we know better. It's very common and predictable, but preventable! Build up your functional reserves of strength, mobility, and endurance to protect your independence.

Daily activities such as lifting, carrying, dressing, and getting out of a chair or tub require arm strength. If you feel fatigued after completing small tasks that once seemed easy, it's time to intervene! Improve strength by asking your muscles to do more than they've been doing on a regular basis.

Daily activities such as walking, rising from a chair, getting into and out of bed, the tub or a car require leg strength. If you feel fatigued after completing some of these basic functional tasks it's time to intervene, as leg strength is key to remaining independent!

Improve lower body strength with simple leg exercises. The first exercise in the Project Activate series was the Elevator asking you to rise slowly from a chair as if "making stops" at several floors.

This week's seated Leg Extension exercise can be done while watching TV, talking on the phone, or whenever you're seated and have room to extend your leg forward! It strengthens the quadriceps muscles in the front of the thigh which can help promote better balance and – like the elevator exercise also helps with daily functional activities.

Strengthening your leg muscles isn't about fitness! It's about keeping your options open so you can more easily participate in life - taking a walk with family and friends, climbing stairs, getting into and out of cars, and feel confident in your balance.

Always follow a physician's advice on exercise.

Leg Extension: Sit with your back straight against the chair back and feet flat on the floor. Extend your left leg and hold for 8 counts while breathing normally. Return foot to floor. Repeat 4-8 times with left leg. Repeat the full sequence with right leg. To increase difficulty use ankle weights as shown in the diagram, however, do not add weight to any painful movement!

Note: Extend knee only through pain-free range of motion – breath normally