The Best Exercise to Stop Your Legs From Giving Out

Dr. Doug Weiss, seniors-specialist physio, has an exercise that stops your knees from being tricked into collapsing (which is very common) by a misfiring (also common) reflex.

Step up…

 Setup to step up thus:

•         Use a sturdy support like a countertop or chair.
•         Have an aerobic step or similar firm surface to step onto.

   When you’re ready:

•         Stand facing away from the step.
•         Place one hand on the support for stability.
•         Step backwards up onto the step with your right leg, then your left leg, so both feet are on the step.
•         Step forward to come back down.

Once you’re confident of the series of movements, do it without the support, and do it for a few minutes each day. Don’t worry about how easy it becomes; this is not, first and foremost, a strength-training exercise; you don’t have to start adding weights or anything (although of course you can if you want).

How it works: there’s a part of you called the Golgi tendon organ, and it can trigger a Golgi tendon reflex, which is one of the body’s equivalents of a steam valve. However, instead of letting off steam to avoid a boiler explosion, it collapses a joint to save it from overload. However, if not exercised regularly, it can get overly sensitive, causing it to mistake your mere bodyweight for an overload. So, it collapses, thinking it is saving you from snapping a tendon, but it’s not. By exercising in the way described, the Golgi tendon reflex will go back to only being triggered by an actual overload, not the mere act of stepping.

Meanwhile, for more on all of the above plus a visual demonstration, enjoy:

Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!

Want to learn more?

You might also like:

What Nobody Teaches You About Strengthening Your Knees

Take care!