Keep an exercise reference within reach.

In this guide

Choose an exercise by its job

Use a movement to practice a particular demand: range, force, endurance, balance, or an everyday task. A photo shows a moment in a movement and cannot establish the correct dose or position for every reader. Read the setup and easier option before beginning.

Follow clinician instructions for an injury, surgery, balance problem, or medical condition. Seek assessment for new or unexplained symptoms. Stop a movement that causes new neurological symptoms, marked worsening, or a loss of function.

Lower limb Upper body Trunk & bending Supported balance

Lower-limb options

Daily function · Leg strength

Chair rise

Set up: Place a firm chair against a wall. Sit with both feet supported and positioned where you can stand comfortably. Use the armrests or another suitable hand support.
Try the movement: Lean forward enough to bring your weight over your feet, stand, then lower with control. A few repetitions—such as four to six—can introduce the setup. Rest before repeating.
Make it easier: Use a higher firm seat, more hand support, or fewer repetitions.
Build the demand: Change one relevant demand: assistance, seat height, repetitions, or added load when appropriate.
Pay attention to: Secure the chair and keep the floor clear. Knee and trunk position can vary with the task; record the setup rather than chasing a single appearance.

Ankle range

Supported ankle rock

Set up: Face a wall or counter with one foot forward and the heel on the floor. Use light support.
Try the movement: Move the knee forward over the foot through a comfortable range, then return. Try four to six slow repetitions on each suitable side.
Make it easier: Shorten the movement or use more support.
Build the demand: Develop the chosen range without forcing the endpoint. Link it with the walking or stepping demand you want to improve.
Pay attention to: Keep heel contact and foot direction consistent when measuring. A pinch or a longer distance cannot diagnose the limiting structure.

Calf force · Repeated push-off

Supported heel rise

Set up: Stand on level ground beside a stable counter. Use both feet and enough hand support for balance.
Try the movement: Raise the heels, pause briefly, and lower with control. Begin with a small manageable set, such as four to eight repetitions.
Make it easier: Use a smaller lift, more hand support, or a seated heel rise for a lower-demand introduction.
Build the demand: Adjust repetitions, resistance, or the share of work between legs within the plan. Single-leg work is a substantial change.
Pay attention to: Record support, height, pace, and whether discomfort or muscular effort ended the set. Sudden loss of push-off after injury needs assessment.

Stair function · Leg force

Low supported step-up

Set up: Choose a low, fixed step with a secure handrail or support. Place the whole lead foot on the step.
Try the movement: Step up using suitable support, then return with control. Try a few repetitions per side if appropriate.
Make it easier: Use a lower step, more support, or practice chair rises first.
Build the demand: Change height, repetitions, assistance, or carrying demand according to the goal.
Pay attention to: Keep the step stable and the path clear. If you have a fall risk, arrange supervised guidance before practicing alone.

Flexibility · Comfortable bending

Seated hamstring stretch

Set up: Sit near the front of a firm chair. Place one heel forward with the knee comfortably bent.
Try the movement: Tip the trunk forward from the hips until a manageable stretch is felt. A gentle 15–20 second hold, once or twice, is an introductory example.
Make it easier: Bend the knee more, shorten the reach, or leave out the stretch.
Build the demand: Adjust position or duration around the flexibility goal and clinical context. More intensity is not automatically useful.
Pay attention to: Tingling, numbness, or radiating pain needs a different assessment. A changed sensation with knee position does not identify one tissue.

Upper-body options

Shoulder reach

Comfortable wall slide

Set up: Face a wall with a comfortable stance. Place one or both hands on the wall at a manageable height.
Try the movement: Slide upward through a comfortable range, then return. Try four to six unhurried repetitions.
Make it easier: Use a lower reach or slide the hand forward on a table while seated.
Build the demand: Develop the range or repetitions that serve the task. Loaded overhead work requires additional capacity.
Pay attention to: Choose an arm path that suits you. A more comfortable angle does not establish that a tendon has been repositioned.

Pushing force

Wall press

Set up: Face a secure wall with hands at a comfortable height and distance apart. Begin close enough to manage the body angle.
Try the movement: Bend the elbows to bring the body toward the wall, then press away. Try a few controlled repetitions while breathing normally.
Make it easier: Move the feet closer to the wall or reduce the depth.
Build the demand: Change body angle, depth, or repetitions. A lower support increases the demand and must be stable.
Pay attention to: Avoid breath-holding or forcing painful shoulder or wrist positions. Use a clinician-approved alternative when restrictions apply.

Upper-back movement · Turning

Seated trunk rotation

Set up: Sit on a firm chair with feet supported. Rest the hands across the chest or lower if the shoulders prefer.
Try the movement: Turn the chest through a comfortable range, return, and alternate sides for three to five repetitions.
Make it easier: Use less range and more trunk support.
Build the demand: Practice a relevant turning task or a later variation. Greater rotation is only useful if it serves the goal.
Pay attention to: Head, pelvis, and arm position change the visible result. Do not force the endpoint or use the task to diagnose the source of pain.

Trunk and bending options

Bending · Load positioning

Supported hip hinge

Set up: Stand facing a stable counter with hands supported. Use a comfortable stance and a small bend in the knees.
Try the movement: Move the hips backward as the trunk tips forward, then return. Explore four to six easy repetitions without seeking maximum depth.
Make it easier: Use a shallower motion and more support.
Build the demand: Practice with a light object close to the body or a different working height when suitable.
Pay attention to: The trunk and hips share motion. A supported practice drill does not define one mandatory lifting technique for every situation.

Hip extension force

Comfortable bridge

Set up: Lie on a suitable firm surface with knees bent and feet supported. Use this option only if getting down and up is manageable.
Try the movement: Press through the feet and lift the pelvis to a comfortable height, then lower. Start with a few controlled repetitions.
Make it easier: Use a smaller lift or substitute a standing task from your care plan.
Build the demand: Change repetitions, hold duration, or resistance where appropriate.
Pay attention to: Continue breathing. Stop if the position produces worsening back, hip, or neurological symptoms. A higher lift is not automatically better.

Trunk and limb coordination

Supine heel slide

Set up: Lie comfortably with knees bent and feet supported. Choose a surface you can leave safely.
Try the movement: Slide one heel away through a comfortable distance, return, and alternate. Try three to five repetitions per side.
Make it easier: Shorten the slide and rest between repetitions.
Build the demand: Change range, repetitions, or the relevant task demand within the plan.
Pay attention to: Use enough effort to control the movement while breathing comfortably. A rigid maximal brace is unnecessary for an easy introduction.

Supported balance

Weight transfer · Standing confidence

Supported weight shift

Set up: Stand beside a stable counter with both feet on level ground and hands supported. Use supervision if your balance is uncertain.
Try the movement: Shift a comfortable amount of weight toward one foot and back, then the other. Keep both feet down initially.
Make it easier: Use a wider comfortable stance, more hand support, and smaller shifts.
Build the demand: Change a relevant support or stepping demand with suitable guidance.
Pay attention to: Keep a way to recover balance. Do not add eyes-closed or unstable-surface challenges alone if you are at risk of falling.

Turn the reference into a plan

Select a small set that serves the goal. Record the exact setup, dose, effort, and later response in the movement log. Use the loading guide to decide which variable you are developing.

The evidence sources below support broader principles of range training, stretching, and falls management.[1][2][3] They do not validate this particular collection or its introductory repetition examples as a treatment protocol.

Follow the evidence

References & context

Alizadeh et al. · Resistance training and range of motion: systematic review (2023)
Controlled studies in healthy participants suggest externally loaded resistance exercise can improve range of motion.
Practical recommendations on stretching exercise · Expert consensus (2025)
Distinguishes flexibility, stiffness, performance, strength, recovery, and injury prevention. Consensus is not a universal rehabilitation prescription.
World guidelines for falls prevention and management for older adults (2022)
High-risk adults need assessment across balance, strength, medications, vision, cardiovascular factors, and environment.