5 Everyday Habits That Secretly Weaken Your Body (and What to Do Instead)

We all have routines that feel harmless, the way we sit in our favourite chair, how we move around the house, or even how we deal with stiffness when it flares up. But over time, some of these habits can quietly take away from our strength, balance, and independence. The best part is that with the right guidance, you can turn those everyday routines into moments that actually keep your body stronger. That is exactly what we focus on at Project Rehab, providing tailored physiotherapy in Brisbane to help people maintain mobility and independence.

Here are five habits that might be holding you back, and what to do instead.

1. Sitting in the same chair

Most of us have “our spot” on the couch or at the dining table, and it feels natural to go there every time. But sitting the same way in the same chair means your joints and muscles only ever move in one position. Over the years, that can lead to stiffness in your back, hips and knees. Since adults spend an average of 9-10 hours a day sitting, you can imagine how much difference it makes. Simply changing chairs or practicing standing up and sitting down from different spots around the house challenges your body in new ways and keeps you stronger.

2. Holding onto furniture

It feels quick and easy to grab the back of a chair or steady yourself on the wall when moving around the house, but the truth is furniture is not built for safety. About one in three Australians over 65 have a fall each year, and many of those happen at home. That’s why falls prevention is such an important part of physiotherapy. Using a proper walking aid or rail might feel like a big step, but it is a tool to keep you independent, not a sign of weakness. Clients in our NDIS physiotherapy programs often feel more confident once they learn how to use the right support safely.

3. Skipping stretching

People often avoid stretching because they do not feel flexible, but avoiding it altogether can cause muscles to gradually tighten and mobility to decline. Research shows flexibility can drop by up to 30 percent between the ages of 40 and 70 unless you actively work on it. The good news is that it does not take much to improve. Just a few minutes each day of gentle stretches, like rolling your shoulders, reaching your arms overhead, or stretching your calves, can make a big difference in how freely you move. At Project Rehab, we often include stretching in our management programs to ease stiffness and keep the body moving well.

4. Always taking shortcuts

Parking close to the shops, avoiding the stairs, or choosing the shortest path possible might seem like small decisions, but they all add up. Every time you skip those little bits of movement, you miss out on opportunities to strengthen your body. Just 20 minutes of light activity a day can protect you against chronic illness and help maintain independence. Walking the long way to the cafe, standing up while you chat on the phone, or taking an extra lap around the kitchen are all easy wins. These little choices add up to a healthier, more independent you.

5. Resting too much when sore

When you are sore or tired, the first instinct is often to stop moving altogether. But too much rest is actually harmful. After just two weeks of bed rest, people can lose up to a quarter of their muscle strength, and it can take much longer to get it back. Movement does not have to mean pushing through pain, even gentle activity like walking, stretching or light exercises can ease stiffness and leave you feeling more energised. This is why our physiotherapy Brisbane team creates programs that adapt to your body’s needs, helping you stay active safely.

The choices we make at home, often without thinking, shape our strength and independence more than we realise. By sitting differently, using supports properly, stretching a little each day, finding chances to move more, and keeping active even when we are sore, we give our bodies the best chance to stay strong and steady. At Project Rehab, our goal is to help people feel confident in their own homes and communities, with the right mix of home physiotherapy, falls prevention and pain management strategies. Sometimes the smallest changes make the biggest difference, and if you’re not sure where to start, a physiotherapist can guide you with simple, personalised advice.

References

1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2021- Falls in older Australians 2008–09 to 2016–17

2. Sedentary Behaviour Research Network, 2017- Standardized use of the terms “sedentary” and “sedentary behaviours”

3. Gajdosik, 2005- Effects of aging on passive tension and stiffness in human skeletal muscles

4. World Health Organization, 2020- Physical activity fact sheet

5. Kortebein et al., 2007- Effect of 10 days of bed rest on skeletal muscle in healthy older adults

• What is at-home physiotherapy?

  At-home neurological physiotherapy brings physiotherapy to you, allowing for the highest level of comfort and convenience.

• Who can benefit from physiotherapy?

  Physiotherapy can benefit individuals with a wide range of needs. Some conditions include: Amputees. Acquired Brain Injury, Parkinson's Disease, Motor Neurone Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s Disease, as well as various intellectual disabilities, developmental delays, and chromosomal disorders, among others.

• Is Project Rehab NDIS Registered?

  Yes, Project Rehab is a registered NDIS provider, making it easy for clients on the NDIS program to receive neurological physiotherapy.