Physical Therapy Detailed Instructions

Smooth Pursuit Horizontal

While seated, hold your target (your favorite photo) at arms-length. Keeping your head still, move your target side to side about 12 inches in each direction, following the image with your eyes only. Use your timer set for 2 minutes.

Tall Sitting, Alternating Knee Lifts, Hold for a Full Breath (Marching)

While seated upright, lift your right knee higher than your hip. Breathe deeply and exhale as you slowly lower your knee. Repeat with your left leg. Continue alternating knee lifts for 2 minutes

Smooth Pursuit Vertical

While seated, hold your target at arms-length. Keeping your head still, move your target up and down about 12 inches in each direction. Follow the image with your eyes only. Use your timer set for 2 minutes.

Seated Knee Extensions

While seated upright, extend your right knee, lifting foot up. Breathe deeply and exhale as you slowly lower your foot. Repeat with your left leg. Continue knee extensions for 2 minutes.

Sitting Overhead Reach with Deep Breath

Begin exercise while seated with your arms resting down by your side. While taking a slow, deep breath in, sweep both arms out to the side and continue reaching over your head. Exhale as you slowly lower your arms back to your side. Continue while using your timer set for 2 minutes.

Seated Ankle Circles

While seated, extend your right knee, and roll your foot and ankle in a circle in a clockwise direction 10 times. Reverse rotation into a counterclockwise direction 10 times. Use your timer to continue for 1 minute. Repeat with the left leg.

Sitting Core Twists while Keeping Head/Eyes Straight

Sit with eyes looking straight ahead, arms resting by side, reach right arm across your body toward the outside of your left knee. Hold through 2-3 deep breaths and return to the center. Repeat toward the right side and continue toward each side for 2 minutes.

Alternating Wrist & Shoulder Circles

While seated, reach both arms to the side, and roll your hands and wrists in a clockwise circle 10 times, then counterclockwise 10 times. Rest arms by your side and roll both shoulders in a forward circle 10 times followed by a backward circle 10 times. Using your timer, continue this sequence for 2 minutes.

Deep Breathing

While seated tall, place hands on waist and take slow, deep breath in followed by slow breath out. Close your eyes, keep your shoulders and neck relaxed, try to feel the movement of your ribs as you breathe for 1 minute.

Saccades Horizontal

Seated, look back and forth sideways, 10 times each between two targets held up at arms-length. Close eyes to rest, 5 counts. Repeat and continue for 2 minutes.

Seated Heel/Toe Raise

Resting feet on the floor, raise the front of both feet up, keeping your heels planted on the ground. Hold for 10 counts. Return to feet flat and then raise both heels up, keeping toes planted on the ground. Hold for 10 counts. Continue for 2 minutes.

Saccades Vertical

Seated, look up and down, 10 times each between two targets held up at arms-length. Close eyes to rest, 5 counts. Repeat and continue for 2 minutes.

Hip Circles

Begin sitting tall with feet flat on floor, hands on thighs, keep shoulders and neck relaxed. Rock pelvis toward left hip, then rock pelvis back toward tail bone and slowly continue rocking pelvis toward right hip. Continue rocking over right hip back toward front of chair. Reverse direction and continue for 2 minutes.

Cat/Cow Pose, Head and Eyes Straight Ahead

Begin sitting tall with hands resting on thighs and feet flat on floor. Inhale as you lift chest, allowing back to arch slightly, then as you exhale, allow your back to round, rocking backward toward your tailbone. Move slowly into and out of each position. Continue 2 minutes. 

Forward Fold Stretch

Begin sitting tall, feet flat on floor, hands resting on thighs. Fold your head and body forward, allowing hands to fall toward feet. This is a resting pose, breathe easily and allow your body to relax. Continue for 2 minutes, unfolding back to sitting intermittently as you feel the need.

Core Side Twist, Look Ahead

Start seated tall with feet resting flat on floor, eyes looking straight ahead and arms resting by side. Reach right arm across your body toward the outside of your left knee. Hold through 2-3 deep breaths and return to the center. Repeat toward the right side and continue toward each side for 2 minutes.

Seated Sun Salutation, Look Ahead

Sitting tall, place open hands together in front of your chest. Inhale as you reach hands over your head, lifting chest and looking at hands. Look straight ahead as you exhale and lower arms in arc around to the sides, allowing back to round and relax. Repeat slowly, continue for 2 minutes.

Seated Side Lunge

Sit straddling right corner of chair, head and shoulders facing your right knee, stretch left leg straight toward left side, keep left foot flat on floor. Reach and hold right arm over right knee, left arm over left leg and hold pose for 30 seconds. Switch posture to straddle the left corner of chair, hold 30 seconds. Repeat toward right and then left sides for 30 seconds each.

Figure 4 (Tailor Sit)

Sit tall in the center of your chair and place your right ankle over your left knee.  Place a hand on right knee and ankle, gently bending forward to allow a light stretch, but no pain. Hold the stretch for 1 minute and switch legs, placing left ankle over right knee, bending forward to stretch for 1 minute. If you have had a hip or knee replacement or are unable to place your ankle over your knee, modify this pose by crossing your ankles instead. Then, gently bend forward to allow a light stretch for 1 minute and switch crossed ankle.

Seated Ankle Circles

While seated, extend your right knee, and roll your foot and ankle in a circle, in a clockwise direction 10 times, reversing into a counterclockwise direction 10 times. Use timer to continue for 1 minute. Repeat with your left leg.

Seated Side-Step

Sit tall on the front half of your chair. Place hands on your knees. Alternately step each foot to the side and back to center. Repeat for 2 minutes.

Side-Stretch Look Ahead

Sit with feet flat on floor. Reach right hand down onto leg of chair on right side. While looking ahead, reach your left arm sideways over your head, allowing your body to bend sideways toward the right. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and return to center. Next stretch your right arm over your head while allowing your body to bend sideways toward the left, hold 30 seconds. Repeat again toward each side, holding x 30 seconds each.

Seated Box Breathing

While seated with feet flat on floor, rest hands on thighs. Begin by inhaling for 4 counts, hold your breath for 4 counts, exhale slowly for 4 counts and hold for 4 counts. Using your timer, repeat for 1 minute.

Wide Angle Leg Lift with Ankle Circles

Begin sitting tall in the center of your chair with your feet and knees placed wide apart. Straighten both knees at the same time so that your feet are lifted off the floor. Lightly clasp your hands together and rest forearms on your upper thighs. Keeping knees straight, circle your feet and ankles 10 times clockwise, 10 times counterclockwise. Repeat 10 circles in each direction for 2 minutes.

Seated Tall Wrist Stretch

Sit tall in the center of your chair. Place your palms together, keeping fingers straight and pressing into the heels of both hands. Gently stretch wrists further by raising elbows up a little, hold for 30 seconds. Change hand position by placing the back of your hands together, fingertips pointing to floor. Gently increase stretch by moving elbows downward, holding for 30 seconds.

Seated Wrist Circles

While seated, reach both arms to the side, and roll your hands and wrists into a clockwise circle 10 times, then a counterclockwise circle 10 times. Continue for a total of 1 minute.

Diaphragmatic Breath

Sit tall in the center of your chair. Slowly take a full, deep breath in. As you inhale, imagine a balloon filling with air, and as you exhale, the balloon deflates. Continue for 1 minute.

Cross Leg Lift, Twist Core

Begin seated with legs well supported on chair, ankles crossed. Keeping ankles crossed, straighten both knees so that feet are lifted toward the front. Holding feet in the air, place hands behind your head (if you have shoulder discomfort, cross arms over your chest) and twist upper body toward the right side. Hold the twist while taking even breaths, for one minute. Return to center and twist upper body toward the left for one minute.

Wide Leg Fold to Side

Sit in chair with feet and knees placed wide apart, toes pointing outward. Take a deep breath in and bend your head and shoulders down over your right knee as you blow out the breath. Rest in this position for 30 seconds, allowing both hands to gently reach toward the floor. Return to sitting and perform fold over left knee, hold gentle stretch for 30 seconds. Repeat stretching toward your right knee for 30 seconds and again over your left knee for 30 seconds.

Standing, Breathing Alternating Overhead Stretch

While standing, hold the back of chair with your left hand and reach toward the ceiling with your right hand. Hold the reach for 30 seconds, reaching a little more with each exhaled breath. Next complete exercise with right hand holding chair and left hand reaching toward ceiling for 30 seconds.

Standing Smooth Pursuit Horizontal

While standing, holding the back of a chair. With your other hand, hold your target at arms-length in front of you. Keeping your head still, move your target side to side about 12 inches in each direction, following the image with your eyes only. Using your timer, continue for 2 minutes

Standing Side Lunge

Stand with left hand on the back of chair, step with right foot and lunge, reaching right hand past your toes, hold for 30 seconds. Return to standing and perform pose toward left side for 30 seconds. Repeat toward right for 30 seconds and again toward left for 30 seconds.

Standing Heel/Toe Raises

Stand while holding the back of your chair. Raise up onto your toes and back down as many times as you can for 30 seconds. Next rock back onto heels as many times as you can for 30 Seconds. Repeat standing on toes for 30 seconds and on heels for 30 seconds.

Standing Hip Extension

Stand while holding the back of your chair. Lift your straight right leg behind you and hold for 2 full breaths, returning your foot to the floor. Repeat lifting right leg for a total of 30 seconds, holding each lift for duration of 2 full breaths. Next lift straight left leg behind you and hold the lift for 2 full breaths before returning left foot to floor. Continue lifts for a total of 30 seconds. Repeat pattern for 30 seconds each leg.

Standing Smooth Pursuit Vertical

While standing, holding the back of a chair. With your other hand, hold your target at arms-length in front of you. Keeping your head still, move your target up and down about 12 inches in each direction, follow the image with your eyes only. Set timer for 2 minutes

Marching

Holding the back of chair for support, raise your knees alternately to height of back of chair, marching in place. Try to increase the speed of your stepping. If you become tired or if your breathing becomes labored, slow down the pace of stepping until you feel recovered. You should always be able to talk, completing a sentence while exercising. Continue 2 minutes.

Standing Saccades Horizontal

While standing, lean back against wall, holding up 2 targets at arms-length, about 8-12 inches apart. Look back and forth sideways, 10 times each between two targets held up at arms-length. Close eyes to rest, 5 counts. Repeat and continue for 2 minutes.

Standing Saccades Vertical

Standing, leaning back against wall, holding up 2 targets at arms-length, about 8-12 inches apart, one above the other. Look up and down, 10 times each between two targets held up at arms-length. Close eyes to rest, 5 counts. Repeat and continue for 2 minutes.

Standing Wrist Circles

While standing, hold the back of your chair with one hand, reach the other arm to the side and roll your hand and wrists into a clockwise circle 10 times, then a counterclockwise circle 10 times. Change hands and repeat. Using your timer, continue this sequence for 2 minutes.

Standing Calf Stretch

Standing with hands on back of chair, step back with right foot, press right heel into floor, allowing left knee to bend slightly. Allow a gentle stretch on the back of your right leg. Hold for 30 seconds. Return to standing position and step back with left foot, pressing heel down onto floor, bending right knee slightly. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat with your right and left leg, 30 seconds each.

Standing Deep Breathing

Hold the back of chair, close eyes and take deep breaths in and out. Be mindful of where you hold the weight on your feet. Be aware of tension in neck and shoulders and allow greater relaxation with each breath. Continue for 1 minute.

Standing Hip Circles

Standing, holding the back of a chair, hold your right leg out to the side, drawing 5 circles in the air with toes. Switch to standing on right leg and holding left leg to side, drawing 5 circles. Repeat for a total of 2 minutes.

Standing Cat/Cow, Head and Eyes Straight Ahead

Holding the back of a chair, feet stay flat on floor, inhale as you rock hips forward toward chair, allowing back to arch. Then exhale as you rock hips backward, allowing back to round. Repeat for 2 minutes.

Standing Forward Fold Stretch

Begin standing with hands resting on back of chair, feet flat on floor. Fold your head and body forward, allowing your hands to rest on the seat of the chair. This is a resting pose, breathe easily and allow your body to relax. Continue for 2 minutes, unfolding back to standing intermittently as you feel the need.

Standing Core Side Twist, Look Ahead

Hold the back of chair, reach one arm to side, allowing body to turn with your arm, hold reach for 2-3 breaths, return to center. Switch sides. Continue activity toward each side for 2 minutes.

Standing Sun Salutation, Look Ahead

Standing with back to wall, place open hands together in front of your chest. Inhale as you reach hands over your head, lifting chest and looking at hands. Look straight ahead as you exhale and lower arms in arc around to the sides, allowing back to round and relax. Repeat slowly, continue for 2 minutes.

Standing Ankle Circles

Stand while holding the back of chair. Lift right leg to the front and perform circles with right foot and ankle, 10 circles clockwise, 10 circles counterclockwise for a total of 30 seconds. Next lift left leg to the front, performing 10 clockwise and 10 counterclockwise ankle/foot circles, for 30 seconds. Repeat exercise with the right leg for 30 seconds and then left leg for 30 seconds.

Standing Knee Extensions

Stand with the back of chair facing right side, holding the chair with right hand. Lift your right knee and perform 10 kicks, striving to straighten your knee fully with each kick. Turn to hold chair with left hand and perform 10 kicks with left leg, striving to straighten knee fully each kick. Repeat 10 kicks for each leg for a total of 2 minutes.

Standing Side-Step

Holding the back of chair with both hands, take a comfortable step to the side, then step back so that feet are together again. Alternate stepping with each foot toward each side, attempting to increase the speed of your stepping as you would in a dance step. Continue stepping for 2 minutes.

Standing Box Breathing

Stand, holding the back of chair. Begin by inhaling for 4 counts, hold your breath for 4 counts, exhale slowly for 4 counts and hold for 4 counts. Using your timer, repeat for 1 minute.

Standing Alternating Side Lifts with Ankle CIrcles

Stand, holding the back of chair. Lift right leg out to the side and perform circles with right foot and ankle- 10 circles clockwise, 10 circles counterclockwise for a total of for 30 seconds. Next lift left leg to the side, performing 10 clockwise and 10 counterclockwise ankle/foot circles for 30 seconds. Repeat your right leg for 30 seconds and then left leg for 30 seconds.