Humans are bipedal creatures. We have evolved so that we can stand up and balance on our feet and use our hands for an enormous variety of tasks.
Initially hunting, gathering, tending, nurturing and feeding would all have been vital skills. Today we use our hands with a slightly different emphasis – for example the skills of grooming and intricate tool use receive more attention, as well as pushing the correct buttons on a remote control.
In more affluent societies the time spent in sitting rather than standing has historically increased. The average time spent watching television per day is nearly 4 hours and this is done sitting down. With the advent of the management of our lives using keyboards and smartphones we spend more time relating to electronic devices in our lap area and less time on our feet.
The support of the body in a sitting position is the subject of enormous research and there are now a huge variety of ergonomic and posturally supportive chairs and seating systems.
Over the next few months we will sharing a series of tips, to help anyone who has had a stroke build their strength, confidence through increasing time in standing by incorporating this into their daily routine wherever they are. *
We are always happy to discuss individual requirements and explore suitability for treatment over the telephone. If you would like to talk to one of our specialist neuro-physios, just get in touch on 01306 888171.
* heads up! neuro-physios assess and treat people with strokes and many other neurological conditions. Each person has different individual physical characteristics and capabilities and whilst our blogs contain some general advice and information, any activity should first be practised with a specialist neurological physiotherapist while the most effective and safe exercise programmes are those designed in conjunction with, and regularly reviewed and progressed by, a neuro-physio.
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