An exercise sheet may show someone lying comfortably on a mat without showing how they got there. Getting down and back up is a separate task. If kneeling, balance, arm strength or confidence makes that task difficult, tell your therapist before beginning a floor routine at home.
Practise the transfer, not just the exercise
Ask your therapist to watch you move between standing, sitting and the exercise position in a suitable setting. Explain what furniture and floor surface you have at home. The aim is to agree a method you can use safely, including the return to standing, rather than finding out after a tiring set that you cannot get up.
Do not assume that being able to walk around the house means you can get off the floor without help. Equally, difficulty with floor access does not mean every exercise must stop. Ask whether a different position or another exercise can meet the same aim.
Questions to settle before using a mat
- Am I currently allowed to kneel or bear weight through my hands?
- Which stable support should I use, and where should it be placed?
- Should someone be present while I practise, and what should they do if I need help?
- Can this exercise be done in another position if floor access is not suitable?
- Where will my phone or personal alarm be while I am exercising?
Surgical restrictions can change the answer. The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital’s joint-replacement information discusses kneeling precautions after knee surgery. Use your own team’s current instructions rather than treating a general recovery date as permission to practise a transfer.
Describe the barrier precisely
“I cannot do the bridge” could mean the movement hurts, the instructions are unclear, or you cannot get onto the mat. These need different responses. A more useful message might be: “The bridge was comfortable in clinic, but I cannot kneel to reach my floor mat at home.” That helps the therapist address access to the exercise rather than simply reducing its repetitions.
For the rest of your exercise area, see setting up your space
A fall is a different situation
A planned transfer practice is not an emergency recovery drill. NHS falls advice says to assess for pain or injury after a fall and seek help if you cannot get up. Do not ask a relative to pull you to standing or keep attempting a transfer when you may be injured. Follow your falls plan if you have one and can do so safely.
If you have fallen and cannot get up, or may have injured your head, neck, back or hip, call your local emergency service. Keep a phone or personal alarm within reach during home exercise; a remote session is not an emergency response service.