In this version of sit to stand, the stronger foot goes slightly in front of the other one before you rise. With the weaker foot a little farther back, that leg has to take more of your weight as you stand, instead of letting the stronger side do the job. Physios use it when one leg is weaker, for example after an injury, an operation or a stroke, once standing up with both feet level is manageable.

How to do the sit to stand with staggered feet

Sit upright on a firm chair and shuffle forward until you are close to the front edge.
Place your feet about hip width apart. Slide your stronger foot slightly forward, leaving the weaker foot a little behind it.
Fold your arms across your chest so you cannot push up with your hands.
Lean forward from the hips and press down through both legs to stand up straight, letting the back foot take its share of the weight.
Lower yourself back to the chair with control, reset your feet and repeat. As it gets easier, move the stronger foot farther forward before each stand.

What you should feel

More effort in the thigh and buttock of the leg that is farther back. Your weight may feel lopsided at first, which is the point, as long as you stay steady.

Common mistakes

Putting the weaker foot in front, which lets the stronger leg carry you up.
Tilting your body toward the stronger side as you rise, so the back leg does less.
Staggering the feet so far apart that you feel unsteady.
Letting the back knee drift inward as you push up.

How often

Many people begin with 2 or 3 sets of 5 to 10 stands on most days, keeping the gap between the feet small at first. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

You feel dizzy, lightheaded or faint as you get up. Sit back down and wait for it to pass. 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, or it does not settle within a few minutes of keeping still, call emergency services.
Pain in the hip or knee of the back leg that is sharp or builds with each stand.
The back leg gives way, or you tip to one side and cannot correct it.
Chest pain or pressure, dizziness or feeling faint, a racing or irregular heartbeat, or being far more out of breath than the effort should cause.

From the clinic

Use a heavy chair that will not slide, and keep a counter, a rail or a helper within reach for the first sessions. Start with a small gap between the feet. A bigger one asks more of the back leg, and more of your balance.

If you have fallen in the past year or feel unsteady, practice only when someone is with you until your physio says you are ready to go alone. Wear flat shoes that fit well and grip the floor, not socks, tights or bare feet. If you start to tip, sit straight back onto the chair.

If one side is weaker after a stroke or another brain or nerve condition, check with your physio first that this version suits you and how far forward the stronger foot should go. Level feet, as in sit to stand, usually come first.

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.

If you have had a hip replacement, get the go-ahead from your surgeon or physio before you try sit to stand with staggered feet. The forward lean needed to rise from a standard chair can take the hip beyond a right angle, and many surgeons ask you to avoid that for the first months after some operations. Some operations also limit how much weight the operated leg can take at first, so ask which foot should go back. After a knee fracture or knee surgery, including a knee replacement, follow your surgeon's or physio's plan, and start this exercise only when they have cleared you.

If chest pain, pressure or tightness does not ease quickly when you rest, spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or comes with sweating, feeling sick, feeling light-headed or being short of breath, call emergency services straight away, as this can be a heart attack. If it eases quickly and none of these happen, get medical advice the same day, and do not exercise again until you have been checked.

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.

Sit to stand with staggered feet