HEALTH
Moving on up
Kneeling, crawling, squatting – even doing housework – is the key to staying strong and mobile as we age, research has found. So let everyday tasks do the heavy lifting
by LUISA METCALFE
illustration ESTHER CURTIS
Wendy Welpton is crawling backwards down the stairs. It’s not the easiest way to descend but by the time she’s reached the bottom she has given her arms, shoulders, wrists, core, bottom and legs a workout.
It’s just one example of how she sneaks in exercise throughout the day – and she is showing her 110,000 followers on Instagram (@reclaim.movement) how they can do it too.
Wendy is a ‘natural movement coach’ on a mission to demonstrate how easy it is to stretch stiff muscles, mobilise joints, and counteract the damage caused by sitting without taking exercise with a capital E. ‘Physiotherapists call this “relevant” or “functional” movement you do in daily life: sitting, standing, crawling, getting up and down,’ says chartered physiotherapist Sammy Margo (smartphysio.co.uk). ‘Going to the gym and doing bicep curls is not a relevant movement from a physio’s perspective – we’re more interested in whether you can pick up an apple and put it in your mouth. Both have value, of course, but we’re thinking more about functional or relevant movement now, and as we age it becomes even more important.’