7EXERCISES

QUICK & SIMPLE

That May Help You

Walk Better
Introduction.
Often times when meeting with patients during our first visit we ask them what their goals are
for therapy. It is more often than not that we hear something along the lines of either “I want
to walk” or “I want to walk better”. The next question is usually the one that gets them think-
ing. Why? Why do you want to learn to walk or walk better?

“I want to be able to keep up with my kids”, “I want to be able to go to the store without rid-
ing a cart”, “I want to be able to watch my grandchildren”, and the list goes on. These are
there true hearts desires as to why they are sitting in front of me. Sure they want to walk, but
they really want to be able to walk around Camden Yards with Johnny at his first ball game.
When we make specific goals it changes the “Why” to “How”. And that’s my goal today.
If your reading this, then like many others you have a desire behind wanting to improve your
gait or even walk for the first time ever. And the first step is to make a personal goal for your-
self that is specific and then set up a progress date to determine how well you are doing to
get there.

“Action is the foundational key to all success.” - Pablo Picasso

Today we will be talking about 7 exercises targeted to strengthen the major muscle groups
that help allow us to walk. Please be sure to know that these are only targeting major walk-
ing muscles and not specific to an individual and may not help with balance and other sec-
ondary gait issues. Only an evaluation by a Licensed Physical Therapist can determine weak-
nesses and deficits prior to starting.
01. Quadriceps
Sit to Stands
Therapist's aim
To improve the ability to stand up or sit down.
Client's aim
To improve your ability to stand up or sit down.
Therapist's instructions
Position the patient in sitting with their feet underneath their knees. Instruct the
patient to stand up and then sit down again. Ensure that the shoulders and
knees move forward while moving between sitting and standing, and weight is
borne equally through both legs.
Client's instructions
Position yourself sitting with your feet underneath your knees. Practice standing up and sitting down.
Ensure that your shoulders and knees move forward while you move between sitting and standing, and
your weight is borne equally through both legs.
Progressions and variations
Less advanced: 1. Increase the height of the chair. More advanced: 1. Decrease the height of the chair.

Long Arc Quads

Therapist’s aim
To strengthen the knee extensors.
Client’s aim
To strengthen the muscles at the front of your thigh.
Therapist’s instructions
Position the patient in sitting with their legs over the side of a bed and a
weight around their ankle. Instruct the patient to extend their knee.

Client’s instructions
Position yourself sitting with your legs over the side of a bed and a weight around your ankle. Start with
your knee bent. Finish with your knee straight.
Progressions and variations
More advanced: 1. Progress using strength training principles.
02. Hamstrings
Leg Curls
Therapist's aim
To strengthen the knee flexors.
Client's aim
To strengthen the muscles at the back of your thigh.
Therapist's instructions
Position the patient in standing with a weight around their ankle. Instruct the
patient to flex their knee while keeping their hip extended.

Client's instructions
Position yourself standing with your feet together and a weight around your ankle. Start with your knee
straight. Finish with your knee bent. Ensure that you keep your hip straight.
Progressions and variations
More advanced: 1. Progress using strength training principles.

Leg slides
Therapist's aim
To improve the ability to flex the knee in preparation for standing.
Client's aim
To improve your ability to bend your knee in preparation for standing.
Therapist's instructions
Position the patient in sitting with their toes on a line in front of their knee.
Instruct the patient to flex their knee so that their heel touches a line behind their
knee.
Client's instructions
Position yourself sitting with your toes on a line in front of your knee. Practice sliding your foot back so
that your heel touches a line behind your knee.
Progressions and variations
Less advanced. 1. Place the lines closer to the heel and toes. 2. Reduce the amount of friction under the
foot by using a friction-reducing device (eg. a roller-skate or slidesheet). More advanced. 1. Place the
lines further away from the heel and toes.
03. Plantarflexors
Heel Raises
Therapist's aim
To improve the ability to dorsiflex and plantarflex the ankles.
Client's aim
To improve your ability to lift up and point your toes.
Therapist's instructions
Position the patient in standing with their feet shoulder width apart. Instruct the
patient to dorsiflex the ankle to stand on their heels, then plantarflex the ankles to
stand on their toes.

Client's instructions
Position yourself standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Practice standing on your heels then
standing on your toes.
Progressions and variations
Less advanced: 1. Provide hand support for balance. More advanced: 1. Wear a backpack with
weights in it.

Seated Heel Raises

Therapist's aim
To strengthen the ankle plantarflexors.
Client's aim
To strengthen your calf muscles.
Therapist's instructions
Position the patient in sitting with their knees together. Instruct the patient to lift
their heels off the floor by plantarflexing the ankles.

Client's instructions
Position yourself sitting with your knees together. Start with your feet flat on the floor. Finish with your
heels lifted off the floor. Ensure that you keep your toes on the floor.
Progressions and variations
Less advanced: 1. Place a bandage around the knees to hold them together. More advanced: 1. Place
a weight over the knees.
04. Dosriflexors
Ankle Curls
Therapist's aim
To strengthen the ankle dorsiflexors.
Client's aim
To strengthen your ankle muscles.
Therapist's instructions
Position the patient in supine with their legs extended. Adjust the theraband so
that the direction of pull opposes ankle dorsiflexion. Instruct the patient to dorsi-
flex their ankle.

Client's instructions
Position yourself lying on your back with some theraband around your forefoot. Adjust the theraband so
that the direction of pull is from the foot of the bed. Start with your ankle downwards. Finish with your
ankle upwards.
Progressions and variations
Less advanced: 1. Downgrade the color of the theraband. More advanced: 1. Upgrade the color of the

Toe Raises
Therapist's aim
To strengthen the ankle dorsiflexors.
Client's aim
To strengthen the muscles at the front of your ankle.
Therapist's instructions
Position the patient in sitting with their feet flat on the floor and their knees rela-
tively extended. Instruct the patient to dorsiflex the ankles.

Client's instructions
Position yourself sitting with your feet together in front of you. Start with your feet flat on the floor. Finish
with your toes lifted up. Ensure that you keep your heels on the ground.
Progressions and variations
Less advanced: 1. Position the feet further forwards. 2. Place a bandage around the knees to hold them
together. More advanced: 1. Position the feet further back.
05. Glutes
Prone Hip Extension
Therapist's aim
To strengthen the hip extensors.
Client's aim
To strengthen the muscles at the back of your hip.
Therapist's instructions
Position the patient in prone with their hip and knee extended and a weight
around their ankle. Instruct the patient to extend their hip.

Client's instructions
Position yourself lying on your stomach with a weight on your ankle. Start with your leg on the bed. Fin-
ish with your leg off the bed.
Progressions and variations
More advanced: 1. Progress using strength training principles.

Standing Hip Extension

Therapist's aim
To strengthen the hip extensors.
Client's aim
To strengthen the muscles at the back of your hip.
Therapist's instructions
Position the patient in standing with their hands resting on a table in front of
them and a sandbag weight around their ankle. Instruct the patient to extend
their hip while keeping their knee extended.

Client's instructions
Position yourself standing with your hands resting on a table in front of you and a sandbag weight
around your ankle. Start with your hip straight beside your other leg. Finish with your hip extended be-
hind. Ensure that your knee is kept straight.
Progressions and variations
More advanced: 1. Progress using strength training principles.
06. Hip Abductors
Side Leg Kicks
Therapist's aim
To strengthen the hip abductors.
Client's aim
To strengthen the muscles at the side of your hip.
Therapist's instructions
Position the patient in standing with a weight attached around their ankle. In-
struct the patient to abduct their leg.

Client's instructions
Position yourself standing with a weight around your ankle. Start with your leg beside your body. Finish
with your leg away from your body.
Progressions and variations
More advanced: 1. Progress using strength training principles.

Supine Leg Kicks

Therapist's aim
To strengthen the hip abductors.
Client's aim
To strengthen the muscles at the side of your hip.
Therapist's instructions
Position the patient in sidelying. Instruct the patient to abduct their top leg. En-
sure that the hip and knee remain extended and the foot points forwards.

Client's instructions
Position yourself lying on your side. Start with your top leg resting on the bed. Lift your leg away from
the bed. Finish with your leg away from the bed. Ensure that your hip and knee are kept straight and
your foot points forwards.
Progressions and variations
Less advanced: 1. Position the patient with their back against a wall for feedback about lower limb
alignment. 2. Position the patient in quarter off supine. More advanced: 1. Increase duration of leg
elevation. 2. Progress using strength training principles.
07. Core Stabilizers
Trunk Rotation
Therapist's aim
To stretch or maintain length of the hip external rotators and abductors.
Client's aim
To stretch or maintain range in your hips.
Therapist's instructions
Position the patient in supine with their knees bent up on the bed and rotated to
one side. Place a belt around the pelvis to keep it flat against the bed and place
a weight on top of the knees.

Client's instructions
Position yourself lying on your back with your knees bent up on the bed and rotated to one side. Place a
belt around your pelvis to keep it flat against the bed and place a weight on top of your knees.
Progressions and variations
Less advanced: 1. Decrease the weight on the knees. More advanced: 1. Increase the weight on the
knees.
Precautions

Bridging
Therapist's aim
To strengthen the hip extensors.
Client's aim
To strengthen the muscles at the back of your hip.
Therapist's instructions
Position the patient in crook lying. Instruct the patient to lift their bottom off the
bed.

Client's instructions
Position yourself lying on your back with your knees bent. Lift your bottom off the bed.
Progressions and variations
Less advanced: 1. Decrease the height of the lift. More advanced: 1. Sustain the lift. 2. Perform the exer-
cise using one leg.
BONUS.
PHYSICAL & OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Of course the best way to see results is to consult your local Physical and Occupational Therapists.
They are trained in determining which muscles need to be strengthened as well as looking out for
compensatory strategies to overcome. Therapists can help with many different things such as:

- Walking
- Transferring and caregiver education
- Wheelchair fitting and other medical equipment
- Strengthening
- Stretching
- Balance and coordination
- Cooking
- Job orientation and community integration
- Pain
- Determining assisted devices

Best of all with direct access there is NO NEED FOR REFERRALS! Just call us to schedule an appointment.

THERAFIT REHAB - WESTMINSTER THERAFIT REHAB - TIMONIUM

7 Tuc Road - Suite A 61 East Padonia Road - Suite E

Westminster, MD 21157 Timonium, MD 21093
Phone Number: 410-871-2494 Phone Number: 410-415-1992
Fax Number: 410-861-5303 Fax Number: 410-774-0488
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Exercises pictures and descriptions provided from physiotherapyexercises.com