After developing burning and tingling sensations in his feet, Bill Porter was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy in 2005 and wanted to start non-weight-bearing exercise. That's when he discovered chair yoga, which he still does three times a week in addition to swimming and water aerobics. During his hour-long online yoga sessions, Porter and other participants do 10 to 15 yoga moves with specific breathing patterns. "It keeps my muscles working together and strengthens my core, feet, ankles, and upper legs so my balance and stamina are better," says Porter, 74, of Richmond, VA. "And sitting down takes the pressure off my feet, which makes it possible to exercise longer."
Ro Manak, who is 66 and has Parkinson's disease, has been doing chair-based exercises for the past five years. Currently, she does twice-weekly boxing workouts and takes balance and mobility classes—all led online by a trainer or instructor. "Her ability to stand is limited, and her movements are small," says her husband, Tom, vice chair of the People with Parkinson's Council, an advisory committee of the Parkinson's Foundation. "The seated workouts get her heart rate up and stimulate the release of endorphins, which help with her mood." The stability of the chair makes the exercises safer. "They help me feel stronger," says Ro, who lives in Glen Ellyn, IL. "After these workouts I feel tired, but a good tired." An additional perk: "She likes showing off her biceps," Tom says.
Experiences like these are giving chair-based exercises a new level of respect. "When you're sitting in a chair, you don't have to worry about falling on your face," says Trevor Wicken, MS, creator and owner of the MS Gym, a comprehensive online platform that includes exercise as well as education for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative conditions. "Feeling safe when you're sitting allows your brain to focus on the actual movements."
A 2019 study in the journal Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport found that older women who did chair-based aerobic or strength exercises experienced considerable improvements in upper- and lower-body strength and agility, along with a sense of autonomy and a significantly decreased fear of falling.
Exercising in a chair also can enhance endurance and flexibility in the upper body, says AM Barrett, MD, FAAN, program director of the neurorehabilitation division at the Emory Brain Health Center in Atlanta. Depending on the moves, chair-based workouts could help with core and postural strength, balance, and range of motion. "If there is one thing people could do to address all their health issues, it's exercise," Dr. Barrett says. "And if you have trouble standing, exercising in a chair is a great option."
"With movement disorders like Parkinson's, being supported and taking balance out of the picture is a safe way to start exercising," adds Jori Fleisher, MD, MSCE, associate professor of neurologic sciences at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
Chair workouts can still be challenging, and they can be customized based on a person's limitations and abilities. "There's a misconception that if it's in a chair, it can't be vigorous," says Dr. Fleisher.
Here is a brief guide to exercising in a chair.
What You Need. Find a sturdy chair that's wide enough to allow you to move freely. Don't use one with wheels, at least not initially. The chair should be at a height that puts your hips at or above knee level, says Ryan Glatt, CPT, a fitness trainer and brain health coach at the Pacific Brain Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. Equipment like dumbbells, ankle weights, exercise bands, medicine balls, Pilates balls, and under-desk bikes can all be incorporated into a chair workout, says Glatt.
How to Position Yourself. Sit toward the front of the chair, place your feet firmly on the ground, and press some weight into them, says Julie Hershberg, PT, DPT, board-certified neurologic clinical specialist and instructor in the division of biokinesiology and physical therapy at the University of Southern California. "We rely on sensory information that comes up through our feet," she says, and getting that information helps with proprioception (the ability to perceive one's body in space), which provides a sense of balance and spatial orientation.
What You Can Do. Yoga, dancing, boxing, karate, sports movements, even jumping jacks all can be done in a chair, says Glatt. "A chair can be integrated into a lot of different exercises, and you can incorporate sit-stand exercises as well." Even people who don't have physical limitations can benefit from doing stretches in their desk chairs throughout the day or taking a break to do a series of triceps dips or squats using chairs. Wicken calls this "neuro-snacking." He explains: "Your brain responds really well to intervals of stimulus. Doing short bouts of movement while sitting helps you stay fresh, focused, and neurologically stimulated."
Online Chair Exercises
- Above MS seated workouts (Zumba, cardio, stretching, strength-building): abovems.com
- Parkinson's Foundation Fitness Friday workouts: parkinson.org
- Silver Sneakers Total-Body Chair Workout: silversneakers.com
- Sit and Be Fit: sitandbefit.org