Scooting forward and back is how you move toward or away from the edge of a bed while sitting. You lighten one hip, move that side of your bottom a little forward or back, then do the same with the other side, rather like walking on your bottom. You use it to get to the edge before you stand, or to sit further back where it is safer. The video shows it on a high treatment bed, with the feet resting on a step and the arms crossed.

How to do the scooting forward and back in sitting

Sit on a firm bed with your thighs resting fully on it and your feet flat on the floor, or on a firm step if the bed is high, as in the video. Cross your arms over your chest with each hand resting on the opposite upper arm.
To move back, lean your weight onto one side so the other hip lightens, and slide that side of your bottom back a little.
Shift your weight onto the side that has just moved, and slide the other side back to meet it. Keep going in small turns until you are as far back as you need.
To move forward, do the same the other way: lighten one hip and walk it forward, then the other, until your feet are flat and sit under your knees.
Sit tall and settle your weight evenly on both sides before you do anything else.

What you should feel

Work in the sides of your trunk and around your hips as each side lifts. Each step is small, and it can take several to cover a hand's width.

Common mistakes

Coming so far forward that you perch on the very edge and start to tip.
Throwing the whole trunk over to one side instead of shifting just enough to free the hip.
Taking big moves with one side only, so you end up sitting crooked.
Scooting with your feet dangling in the air when the bed is high.

How often

Scoot like this each time you need to get to or away from the edge of a bed or chair. Many programs practice 3 to 5 rounds of moving back and forward, once or twice a day. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

You start to slip toward the edge or feel you might fall. Stop, put your hands down on the bed and let your helper steady you.
Sharp pain in your back or hips as you lift each side.
You feel dizzy, lightheaded or faint, or the room seems to spin, as you move in bed or sit on its edge. Stop, lie back down on the bed if you can, and keep still until it passes. If it does not pass within a minute or two, or it keeps happening, get medical advice the same day before you practice again. If you faint, it does not settle within a few minutes of keeping still, or your vision suddenly blurs or goes double, call emergency services.
Your calf or thigh is getting more swollen, or becomes warm, tender, red or darker than usual, or has a new throbbing or cramping pain. This can be a blood clot, especially after an operation, an injury, time in a cast, boot or brace, or a spell of being much less mobile than usual, and after an operation it can also be an infection. Stop and contact your medical team or get medical advice the same day. If you are also short of breath or have chest pain, call emergency services.
You suddenly become short of breath, get chest pain or pain in your upper back that may be worse when you breathe in, cough up blood, your heart beats very fast, or you faint. Call emergency services straight away, even if your leg looks normal, as this can be a blood clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism).

From the clinic

Think of this as the basic method rather than a stroke rehab program. Your physio or occupational therapist shows you how to scoot if a stroke or another condition has weakened one side of your body, and decides whether you need someone to help. Do not practice it on your own at first, because you could fall. Have someone standing beside you until your physio says you are safe to do it alone.

Pick a firm bed or chair that cannot roll away, and lock any wheels. Keep your feet on the floor or a firm step, and stop moving forward once they sit under your knees. Crossed arms make your trunk work harder, so if you feel unsteady, rest your stronger hand flat beside you instead. Support a weak arm across your lap rather than letting it hang, and do not let anyone move you by pulling on it. The same hip lift, practiced on the spot, is the seated weight shift lifting one hip.

If you have had a hip replacement, get the go-ahead from your surgeon or physio before you try scooting forward and back in sitting. Sitting on a low bed or seat bends the hips beyond a right angle, and many surgeons ask you to avoid that for the first months after some operations. A higher, firm surface lessens that bend.

Expect a small wobble each time a hip lifts. A sudden loss of balance is different. Call emergency services straight away for any sign of a stroke, even if it goes away: sudden dizziness with unsteadiness or falling over, a face that droops on one side, an arm you cannot lift or keep up, slurred or muddled speech, weakness or numbness on one side of your body or face, sudden blurred vision, double vision or loss of sight, or a sudden severe headache. If one side is already weak or numb from an earlier stroke, new or suddenly worse weakness or numbness is a sign, and every other sign in this list still counts.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-26.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Scooting forward and back in sitting