Why Elders May Have Trouble Getting Up From a Chair and How Physical Therapy Can Help
Getting up from a chair is something most people do dozens of times without thinking about it. For an older adult, however, this simple movement can gradually become one of the first signs that mobility is changing.
Maybe your loved one has started pushing down on the armrests to stand. Perhaps they rock forward several times before getting up, or they need someone nearby for support. Sometimes the change is so gradual that nobody notices until the person struggles to rise from a low couch or dining chair.
Difficulty getting up from a chair is not simply an inconvenience. It can be a sign of leg weakness, reduced balance, joint stiffness, pain, or declining functional mobility.
The good news is that difficulty standing does not necessarily mean independence has to be lost. With the right evaluation and personalized rehabilitation program, many older adults can improve the strength, coordination, balance, and movement strategies needed to stand more safely.
At Rehab On Wheels, we provide personalized in-home Physical and Occupational Therapy throughout New York City, helping older adults work on the movements they use every day. We also provide clinic-based rehabilitation at our locations in Brooklyn and Staten Island.
Why Is Standing Up From a Chair So Difficult?
Standing from a seated position looks simple, but the body actually has to coordinate several movements at once.
You need enough:
- Leg strength
- Hip strength
- Core stability
- Balance
- Joint mobility
- Coordination
- Confidence
The body must shift forward, generate enough force through the legs, straighten the hips and knees, and establish balance once standing.
When one or more of these abilities becomes weaker, the entire movement can become difficult.
1. Leg Muscle Weakness
One of the most common reasons seniors struggle to stand is reduced lower-body strength.
The muscles in the thighs, hips, and buttocks play a major role in helping you rise from a chair.
When these muscles become weaker, you may notice:
- Difficulty standing without using your hands
- Trouble climbing stairs
- Slower walking
- Fatigue during everyday activities
- Difficulty getting out of bed
Muscle weakness can develop because of inactivity, prolonged illness, surgery, injury, neurological conditions, or simply spending too much time sitting.
Physical Therapy can target these muscles with progressive strengthening exercises appropriate for the individual’s abilities.
2. Knee or Hip Arthritis
Arthritis can make standing painful.
If the knees or hips hurt when bearing weight, a person may unconsciously avoid using those joints fully. Over time, this can contribute to additional weakness and reduced mobility.
Seniors with arthritis may find it particularly difficult to rise from:
- Low couches
- Soft chairs
- Toilets
- Car seats
A Physical Therapist can identify movement patterns that may be placing unnecessary stress on painful joints and recommend exercises to improve strength and mobility.
3. Balance Problems
Standing up isn’t finished once your body leaves the chair.
You also need to maintain your balance after reaching a standing position.
Older adults with balance difficulties may hesitate before standing because they are afraid of falling.
They may also:
- Hold onto nearby furniture
- Stand very slowly
- Feel unsteady immediately after standing
- Avoid getting up without another person nearby
Balance training can help improve confidence and safety during these movements.
4. Reduced Hip and Ankle Mobility
Flexibility matters more than many people realize.
Limited movement in the hips or ankles can make it harder to position the body correctly before standing.
For example, stiff ankles may make it difficult to bring the knees forward. Limited hip mobility can make it harder to lean forward and generate the momentum needed to stand.
Improving flexibility and joint mobility may make everyday movements feel more natural.
5. Pain
Pain can change the way a person moves.
Someone experiencing back, knee, hip, or ankle pain may develop compensatory movement patterns to avoid discomfort.
Over time, these patterns can contribute to:
- Muscle weakness
- Poor posture
- Reduced balance
- Less efficient movement
- Greater dependence on others
Rehabilitation focuses on identifying these limitations and developing safer movement strategies.
Difficulty Standing Can Affect More Than Mobility
A person who struggles to stand may gradually begin avoiding activities that require repeated movement.
They may stop:
- Going for walks
- Visiting friends
- Cooking
- Shopping
- Attending community activities
- Getting up frequently during the day
This can create a cycle:
Less movement → weaker muscles → greater difficulty moving → even less activity.
Breaking this cycle early is important for maintaining independence.
How Physical Therapy Can Help
A geriatric Physical Therapist can evaluate how an older adult moves and identify the factors contributing to difficulty standing.
Treatment may focus on:
Lower-Body Strength
Exercises can strengthen the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and other muscles involved in standing and walking.
Functional Training
Instead of focusing only on isolated exercises, therapists can practice real-life movements such as:
- Sit-to-stand transfers
- Getting in and out of bed
- Getting into and out of a car
- Climbing stairs
- Walking safely
Balance Training
Balance exercises can help patients become more stable when transitioning from sitting to standing.
Flexibility
Gentle mobility exercises can address stiffness affecting the hips, knees, ankles, and spine.
Gait Training
If difficulty standing is accompanied by walking problems, therapy can address walking patterns, foot placement, posture, and overall mobility.
Why Sit-to-Stand Exercises Are So Valuable
The sit-to-stand movement is more than an exercise.
It is a functional skill that people need throughout the day.
A therapist may incorporate controlled sit-to-stand practice into a rehabilitation program to help improve:
- Leg strength
- Balance
- Coordination
- Functional independence
- Confidence
The exercise can also be modified based on a patient’s abilities.
For someone who is very weak, a higher chair and arm support may initially be appropriate. As strength improves, the exercise can gradually become more challenging.
Patients should perform exercises according to guidance from their healthcare or rehabilitation professional, particularly if they have significant pain, balance problems, or a recent injury.
The Role of Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy focuses heavily on movement, strength, balance, and mobility. Occupational Therapy takes another important perspective: how those physical abilities affect everyday life.
An Occupational Therapist can help seniors find safer ways to:
- Get dressed
- Bathe
- Use the bathroom
- Prepare meals
- Move around the home
- Complete household activities
They may also recommend adaptive equipment or changes to the home environment that make daily activities easier.
This combination of Physical and Occupational Therapy can provide a more complete approach to maintaining independence.
Why In-Home Physical Therapy Can Be Helpful
For an older adult already struggling with mobility, traveling to a rehabilitation clinic may be challenging.
That’s where in-home Physical Therapy in NYC can make a meaningful difference.
At Rehab On Wheels, therapists can work with patients in the environment where their mobility challenges actually occur.
A therapist may observe how a patient:
- Gets out of their favorite chair
- Moves from the bedroom to the bathroom
- Navigates stairs
- Gets into the shower
- Walks through the kitchen
This provides valuable information that can be incorporated into an individualized treatment plan.
It also allows therapy to focus on practical, real-world goals.
When Should a Senior Seek Help?
Difficulty getting up from a chair should be evaluated when it is persistent, worsening, or interfering with daily activities.
Consider seeking professional guidance if an older adult:
- Frequently needs their arms to stand
- Has recently become unable to stand independently
- Has fallen or nearly fallen
- Avoids getting up because of fear
- Experiences significant pain when standing
- Has noticeable leg weakness
- Struggles with stairs
- Needs increasing assistance with everyday activities
Sudden or severe changes in mobility should receive prompt medical attention.
A Small Mobility Change Can Be an Important Warning
Sometimes the first sign of declining mobility isn’t a fall.
It may be something much smaller.
A person stops taking their usual walks. They begin using their hands to push themselves out of a chair. They avoid stairs. They ask someone to help them get up from the sofa.
These changes can be easy to overlook.
Paying attention to them gives families an opportunity to seek help before mobility limitations become more severe.
Helping Seniors Stay Independent
Maintaining independence doesn’t mean doing everything without assistance. It means having the strength, confidence, and appropriate support to participate in everyday life as safely as possible.
Rehabilitation can help older adults work toward meaningful goals such as:
- Standing independently
- Walking more confidently
- Getting around the home safely
- Reducing fall risk
- Returning to favorite activities
- Remaining active in the community
Every person’s needs are different, which is why personalized care is so important.
Why Choose Rehab On Wheels?
Founded in 2017 by a team of passionate Physical and Occupational Therapists, Rehab On Wheels was created to make high-quality rehabilitation more accessible to older adults.
Our experienced therapists provide personalized in-home Physical and Occupational Therapy throughout New York City, along with clinic-based treatment at our locations in Brooklyn and Staten Island.
Our approach focuses on:
- One-on-one therapy
- Individualized rehabilitation plans
- Senior mobility
- Balance and fall prevention
- Strength and functional training
- Independence and quality of life
- Convenient home-based rehabilitation
We meet patients where they are and help them work toward the movements and activities that matter most in their daily lives.
Don’t Ignore Changes in Mobility
Having occasional difficulty getting up from a chair may not seem like a major concern. But when the problem becomes frequent, painful, or progressively worse, it can be an important sign that an older adult needs additional support.
Early Physical Therapy for seniors can help address strength, balance, flexibility, and functional mobility before limitations become more difficult to manage.
If you or a loved one is having trouble standing from a chair, walking, climbing stairs, or completing everyday activities, consider speaking with a rehabilitation professional.
Rehab On Wheels provides personalized in-home rehabilitation throughout New York City, helping seniors improve mobility and maintain independence in the environment where they live.
Schedule an Appointment Today
Contact Rehab On Wheels to learn how personalized Physical and Occupational Therapy can help you or your loved one move more safely, build strength, and maintain independence.
Clinic Locations:
- Brooklyn, NY
- Staten Island, NY
In-home rehabilitation: Throughout New York City
Author: Catherine Morrissey, PT, DPT
