Learning to Move in a Chair: Why It Matters More Than You Might Think

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the quiet power of chair-based movement.

It’s easy to overlook. In a world that often celebrates intensity and extremes, the idea of moving slowly, in a chair, might not seem very exciting. But for many people, this kind of practice isn’t just helpful, it’s vital.

Photo Credit: Chelsea, Marketing Manager for Valley Leisure Ltd

Chair yoga creates a space where we can begin again and reconnect with our bodies aches and all. A space where movement is safe, supported, and deeply respectful of where each body is today.

For people recovering from injury, living with chronic conditions, or navigating the gradual changes that come with ageing, the chair can be a place of possibility. It allows us to explore mobility without the risk of falling, fatigue, or fear and that sense of safety is more than emotional. Research consistently shows that when we feel secure in movement, we are more likely to stay active. Regular movement, even when gentle, helps reduce inflammation, manage pain, and maintain long-term independence (National Institute on Aging, 2021).

Frailty, often misunderstood, is a recognised clinical syndrome involving reduced strength, endurance, and physiological function. It affects around 10% of people over 65 and nearly 50% of those over 85 (British Geriatrics Society, 2021). Frailty increases the risk of falls, hospitalisation, and loss of independence but it is not a fixed state. Evidence shows that tailored physical activity, including chair-based movement, can help improve resilience and quality of life (NICE, 2023).

But this isn’t just about the physical.

Learning to sit actively, not slumped or collapsed but awake and present can bring huge shifts. It improves posture, supports better breathing, and helps us reconnect with our centre. The trunk and core muscles are essential for balance and coordination. Engaging them, even while seated, builds strength that supports daily activities from standing up to walking confidently across uneven ground.

For those living with conditions that affect balance or coordination, such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, or stroke recovery, chair yoga becomes more than accessible movement. It becomes a way of rebuilding trust not just in the body, but in the act of moving through the world. From my own personal experience of living with a rare form of Rheumatoid Arthritis - Palindromic Rheumatism, chair-based movement has allowed me to stay connected with the essence of who I am on the days that a traditional mat based practice isn't accessible to me.

And for anyone navigating frailty; whether due to age, illness, or simply life building that trust within their own bodies is essential.

One of the things I love most about teaching chair yoga is witnessing what unfolds when someone begins to feel safe in their body again. Movements may be small, but their impact is not. There is often a softening in the face. A deepening of the breath. A quiet “Oh, I can do this” that changes everything.

Chair yoga offers us a way in. It meets us where we are and then gently and with great kindness asks, “What else is possible from here?”

Sometimes, that question is the beginning of something powerful.

Naomi Hurst

References

British Geriatrics Society. (2021). Fit for Frailty: Consensus Best Practice Guidance. Retrieved from https://www.bgs.org.uk/resources/resource-series/fit-for-frailty

National Institute on Aging. (2021). Exercise and Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide. Retrieved from https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/exercise-physical-activity

NICE. (2023). Multimorbidity: Clinical Assessment and Management (NG56). Retrieved from https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng56