American Stroke Foundation

Learn about a few ways you can get exercise while cleaning off your tables and countertops! Motion is lotion and what greater way to get movement than through daily activities. Remember to take rests when needed.

Before getting some exercise with cleaning, start off with 5 deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose, then breathe out through your mouth.

There are a couple options you can choose when selecting cleaning supplies. If you have the hand flexibility and strength, you can use a squirt bottle. If you have more tightness or pain in your hands, use a bowl full of soapy water to dip the cleaning rag in.

Seated. Put weight on your affected side as you wipe down the table with your unaffected arm. When using your affected side to do the wiping, use your unaffected arm to support the wiping movements. You will work your arm and core muscles when pushing, lifting, and reaching to wipe down the whole surface.

Standing. Put weight on your affected side by pressing into the table when doing the wiping movements. You can use your unaffected arm to support your affected side for the wiping motions. Leaning and reaching to wipe every area of the table lets you work your core muscles in addition to arm muscles. Keep a chair next to you so you can take a seat and catch a breath if you feel tired or like you’re about to lose your balance.

Seated. Remember to push that weight through your affected side. You can use your unaffected arm to support your affected side when wiping the counter. If you use your unaffected arm for the wiping, be sure to put weight on your affected side by leaning into it when holding on to the chair. Try your best to lean and reach to clean those nooks and crannies for your core to get some exercise too!

Standing. When wiping with your unaffected arm, lean into your affected side on the counter to exercise that weight bearing. Use your unaffected arm to support your affected side if you plan to use it for the wiping movements. Find ways to reach and lean forward so you can exercise your core and balance. Keep a chair nearby so you can take a seat and do some breathing if you feel tired or like you’ll lose your balance.

Finish off the exercise with some cool down breaths. Take up to 3 or 5 deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose, then breathe out through your mouth.