Frequently Asked Questions

Always talk with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

For a complete list, please read the Exercise Guide Instructions prior to use.  Here are some highlights on MoveMor’s safe use.

• Pain-free exercise ONLY! Move through a comfortable pain-free range of motion. If pain occurs with an exercise, make the move smaller or slower. If pain persists, reduce the tubing resistance level or avoid the specific exercise. 
• If sharp pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or lightheadedness occurs while performing  any exercise, stop immediately and contact your  healthcare provider.
• Serious injury can occur when not used properly including:

1. Improper seat height where hips are below knees.
2. Not performing pain-free exercise.
3. Having feet strapped in, standing up without adequate support and stepping to walk away.
4. Improper storage where someone steps on it and slips on the board’s frictionless surface.

• Do NOT use MoveMor®  with individuals who are allergic to latex as the elastic tubing contains latex.

Feet should be flat on the floor with HIPS ALIGNED WITH OR SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE KNEES!  This is extremely important to take undue stress off of hips.

• For tall folks: if hips are lower than knees, place a foam pad or firm cushion on the seat.
• For shorter individuals whose feet don’t reach the ground: place a foam pad under the board.

Sit tall with good posture: buttocks as far back into the chair as possible, chest lifted, shoulders back and down with ears aligned over shoulders and hips. To support good posture and maintain the natural curve in the lower back, place a rolled towel or 8” inflatable ball behind the lower back. 

To increase strength of postural muscles, sit away from the back of the chair and maintain an upright posture throughout the exercise with chest lifted, shoulders back and down with ears over shoulders and shoulders over hips. Tilting the pelvis slightly forward can support better posture.  

Breathe deeply throughout the exercises. This will help strengthen your diaphragm and support good posture.

Place the MoveMor® board on the floor, in the center and as close as possible, to a stable, firm chair or wheelchair to create a 90˚ angle at the knees; ankles may be slightly forward.

• Single User: With MoveMor® at the base of your chair, sit sideways on the stable chair; turn forward, placing feet on foot beds.  Strap feet in snugly.
• Instructor: Ask seated participants to lift their feet; slide the MoveMor®  board under feet; gently place feet onto the foot beds. Strap feet in snugly.

Yes! MoveMor® is designed for use with FLAT shoes, stocking or bare feet (for at home/personal use).  Do not use shoes that have high heels.

Whenever possible and appropriate, performing the exercises without shoes will be more effective to open up and strengthen foot joints for greater mobility and stability benefits. 

All of our studies were performed in a clinical setting while wearing shoes; benefits will be experienced with or without wearing shoes!

We have had hundreds of people with back pain, knee replacements and chronic conditions use MoveMor® safely and without pain.  The key is to listen to your body, sit tall with an upright posture and always move in a comfortable, pain-free range of motion (ROM).  If a move is painful, reduce the range of motion by making the move smaller or slower.  If that doesn’t help, change the tubing to a lighter resistance level.  If pain persists, discontinue use and see your healthcare provider.

With heels of feet flush against the heel cup, adjust the straps snugly.

Strap extenders can be purchased separately for those individuals who wear large shoes when performing the MoveMor® exercises. 

• Toe strap extenders are wider than the ankle strap extenders. .
• Attach the rough side of the strap extender to the exterior straps.
• Firmly press the interior strap to the soft side of the strap extender.

Avoid the need to purchase strap extenders by removing shoes and performing the exercises wearing socks or bare feet when possible and appropriate.

Simply wear socks when exercising to slip feet in and out of the foot beds removing the need to redo the straps.

We recommend starting with the yellow tubing (light beginner level) to allow your body to adapt to this new type of multi-directional exercise.  This level works well to challenge the muscles, joints and neural systems to get stronger through a full ROM to improve strength and balance, gently and effectively.

If you experience pain, that is your body’s signal to STOP.  Reduce the resistance level by using the honey-colored, extra light beginner level (available for purchase at www.MoveMor.com).  Distinguish between discomfort and muscle tension versus pain since a little discomfort is needed for the body to adapt and get stronger.

When you can perform pain-free exercises with good posture and form and are looking for a greater challenge.

Start by increasing the tube tension under the foot beds.  Unlock the green foot bed fasteners to remove the top.  Move the bulbous tube end from position #1 to position #2; if more tension is desired at the toes and heels, move to position #3.  Progress to the heavier tube resistance level.

NOTE: ON CENTER TUBES, TIGHTEN TENSION UNDERNEATH ONE FOOT BED ONLY! If you tighten up both foot bed positions, balanced tension and a comfortable ROM will be lost.

Please view the video here for step-by-step instructions.

There are three fitness levels: Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced. There is color-coded light and heavy resistance within each level including:

Start at a slow and controlled pace, moving in a comfortable and pain-free ROM. Alternate between the “Ankles & Feet” and “Hips & Knees” exercises outlined in the Exercise Guide.

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Always move in a comfortable, pain-free range of motion. If mild pain occurs, make the movement smaller and slower. If needed, you may reduce the tubing resistance. 

If pain persists, stop the exercise and consult with your healthcare professional. Pain is your body’s signal to stop. Muscles tighten up as a protective mechanism when pain is experienced.

Listen to your body and honor your health condition, needs and abilities. We have seen phenomenal improvements in balance, strength and mobility with people managing a myriad of chronic conditions in as little as 10 minutes once per week for 14 weeks or less. 

Perform one exercise program 1-3 non-consecutive days of the week. 

Another option is to perform 2-3 exercises each for ankles, knees and hips. Do 1-3 sets of 8-15 repetitions of each exercise on 1-3 non-consecutive days per week to allow time for rest and recovery. 

Do less if you feel tired or experience joint or muscle aches and perform a bit more if you are symptom-free and up for a greater challenge.

After you can perform the exercises with good posture and full range of motion, you can safely progress to the next color-coded resistance tubing level.

Perform a variety of pain-free exercises and vary the movement changing the 

• PACE: Slow to fast 
• RANGE of MOTION: Small to large
• DYNAMIC: Joint movement 
• STATIC: Hold a position; 
• EXPLORE JOINT ANGLES: Such as Marching or Slide Walking while moving between adduction and abduction; Toe Lifts with toes pointing inward or outward…
• COMBINE: Perform dynamic moves with static Start Positions (Level 2 and 3). For example, perform leg adduction by bringing the ankles and knees together; holding together, then slide each foot forward and back as in Slide Walking. Perform leg abduction, holding and rotating toes outward.

Use our Mobility Training Framework as a guide to progressively increase strength, joint mobility, joint stability, power and endurance.

Anyone interested in regaining or maintaining their mobility, strength and confidence. 

People with a myriad of chronic conditions have benefitted from using MoveMor® including those managing arthritis, osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, neurological conditions like Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis, stroke recovery, dementia, musculoskeletal pain and those who are wheelchair-bound among others.

Proactive individuals, therapists and trainers can use MoveMor for rehabilitation and recovery from injuries, surgeries like hip and knee replacements as well as from immobility following an illness or hospital stay.

Class size of 5-10 participants works well with one instructor. For classes larger than 10, we recommend having an extra helper to get people strapped in and out.

Yes, the instructor should use a board to help gauge the class intensity. We have noticed that when the instructor doesn’t use a board, they can go “overboard” and work too intensely.

Throughout class instruction, scan participants from head to toe to gauge how they are responding. If one or more participants is struggling with an exercise or breathing heavily and uncomfortably, take breaks as needed. Rest can be active with small movements like toe or heel lifts or a small shuffle. Rest can be passive where feet are resting in the “home” position where all muscles are relaxed. Taking a few deep breaths and a drink of water can be a welcomed break!

Absolutely yes! MoveMor® works well for cognitively impaired people due to the immediate visual feedback. We recommend having appropriate supervision at all times since the biggest concern is someone forgetting they are strapped in and then standing up to walk away. If this is a concern, we recommend having one instructor and one facilitator available during class time. 

Another tip: At the start of class, when strapping their feet in, look them in the eye and tell them, “All of the exercises are done sitting down. All I need you to do is stay seated. Can you stay seated for me?” They usually smile and say, “I can do that. That’s my kind of exercise!”

Everyone has different health conditions, needs and abilities. Encourage each participant to honor their body and do the best they can. We focus on what they can do, remind them not to compete with anyone but themselves, and over time, with practice, they will experience strength and mobility gains to live their independent best.

We recommend adding upper body exercises after participants have mastered the lower body exercises and are looking for a greater physical and mental challenge. We like to use elastic resistance bands free-style or wrapped around the MoveMor® board’s handle. Coordinating lower and upper body movement is a great way to strengthen body and brain!

Music makes movement more fun! We recommend using generational music at a volume that participants can hear the exercise cuing. 

When exercise is completed, open the foot straps and take feet out of the foot beds. Ask participants to raise their feet and remove the MoveMor® board. 

Store it safely away in an upright position so no one slips on its frictionless surface. Stretch muscles for enhanced flexibility!

Tube longevity is based on use and proper storage. They last from 6 months to a year. With heavy use (once or twice on most days), the tubes will last approximately 6 months. With light use (about 2-3 times per week), they will last longer, approximately 18 months.

Replacement parts can be purchased at www.MoveMor.com or by sending an email to info@movemor.com.

Clean the board and foot beds with a mild glass cleaner or hydrogen peroxide on a soft cotton cloth. Wipe tubes with a damp cloth only since chemicals can cause damage.

Cross the straps to make an “X” and store them upright, at room temperature, away from sunlight, water and heat sources. Save more space by placing the bottom bases together of two units and then stagger them next to each other. If they slide on the floor surface, place a small carpet pad underneath them.