Stand Up for the NHS

Captain Tom has raised millions for the NHS. Each week the nation shows its thanks by clapping for the NHS. We all want to show our gratitude and appreciation for the amazing people who are saving lives every day. Now you can do something to help the NHS that doesn’t cost a penny and only takes 30 seconds!

The simple sit to stand exercise not only helps to keep us strong, it can also help to keep us out of hospital. Here’s why.

As we age we lose muscle mass and strength by 2% each year so by the time we’re 80 we can have lost half our muscle mass. Strong muscles allow us to stand from a chair, walk and even use the toilet without thinking too much about it. These activities and others that we do every day are called Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and if we lose our muscle strength and the ability to complete ADLs, we can also lose our independence. This means we become more sedentary while others do things for us, becoming frail and vulnerable to illness or having a fall, which requires medical intervention from the NHS.

The fact that we are now at home for the foreseeable future means that it’s even more important for us to be active and avoid the slippery slope of muscle loss leading to being in hospital. Research has shown that reducing the number of steps taken per day to less than 1,500 for two weeks can result in almost 4% loss in muscle in 66-75 year olds. This could be even greater in older age groups. For those of us that can’t leave the house it’s vital we find other ways to keep active and combat muscle loss. If not, the NHS and social care sector could become overwhelmed by frail older people losing their muscle and their independence.

Download my free score sheet!

"Doing this simple exercise every day can help us to stay strong and keep us out of hospital, so let's all stand up and save the NHS".

Julie Robinson, Move it or Lose it Founder

"In these times of lockdown it's all too easy to spend the day watching TV and comfort eating, but the more time we spend being sedentary the worse this is for our health. By doing the simple sit to stand test every day you will ensure that you don't lose muscle and will also help your immune system"
Professor Janet Lord, University of Birmingham

Celebrity Ambassadors

Tessa Sanderson

“I’m delighted to be an ambassador for Move it or Lose it supporting their #StandUpForNHS campaign. It’s so important to keep mobile at all ages, safely and to have some fun too. They’ve done some terrific work across the country and this becomes even more important at a time when so many people are staying at home.”

Michael McKell

"Hi my name is Michael McKell, I just want to let you know how you can stand up to the NHS. Exercise. Stay fit, and going for that extra walk, doing that little bit more in the garden. Keeping fit, will boost your immune system. So it's your way of standing up for the NHS. So, be active, keep your routine, stay fit, stay safe."

Sally Dynevor

"Let’s get all our mums, dads and grandparents doing this #StandUpForNHS challenge. It’s such an easy way to support our wonderful NHS by keeping everyone healthy at home."

So it’s time for us all to Stand Up for Our NHS!

One of the simplest ways for us to maintain our muscles and our independence is the sit to stand exercise. Research has shown that for 65-80 year olds, the sit to stand exercise can have the same effect on improving strength as using expensive gym equipment! Plus, those in their 70s who improve their chair rise time by 25% can ‘drop a decade’ meaning their leg strength is equal to an average 60-year-old. It’s a win win!

Staying strong means you can be more active and that can boost your immune system too.

Watch our video of how to do the sit to stand and record your 30 second score on the form below. Practice regularly and you will soon see an improvement. Share this with a friend so we can all stay strong at home and take the strain off the NHS. You can enter scores for a relative or friend who isn’t online – everyone can join us in our sit to stand challenge.

Once you’ve completed the form below, we’ll email you with a pack of information so you can see how your score compares to others in your age group along with exercise videos to help you get stronger and improve your score.

We might all be at home, but we can still stay active, strong and healthy and stand up to help our amazing NHS. Join us in our mission and together we can make a real difference and help the NHS now and in the future.

"According to the Centre for Preoperative Care, exercise can reduce the risk of becoming severely ill and over burdening the NHS"

BBC News

Disclaimer

As with all exercise programs, you are advised to consult with a medical practitioner/GP before commencing any new fitness programs and to stop immediately and seek medical advice if you experience any discomfort or pain.

By performing any fitness exercises, you are performing them at your own risk.

Move it or Lose it Limited will not be responsible or liable for any injury or harm you sustain as a result of our fitness program, online fitness videos, or information shared on our website.

Stand Up for the NHS

Enter your sit to stand scores for the #StandUp4NHS campaign

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