Relearning a Forgotten Movement Language: Why Floor Sitting and Indian Toilets Still Matter for Mobility

In today’s rapidly modernising India, comfort has quietly replaced movement. Dining tables have taken the place of floor seating, and Western toilets have become the norm in urban homes. While these changes have undoubtedly improved convenience, they have also led to the gradual disappearance of something deeply valuable: everyday movement through full joint ranges.

According to Dr.Akash Singh (PT), founder of One Rehab Physiotherapy, this shift has had a profound but often unnoticed impact on long-term mobility, especially as people grow older.

“For generations, Indians practised deep squatting, floor sitting, kneeling, and getting up without support,” Dr. Akash explains. “These weren’t exercises. They were simply part of daily life.”

When Daily Life Was Mobility Training

Eating meals while sitting on the floor and using Indian-style toilets naturally required the hips, knees, and ankles to move through deep ranges of motion. Without any structured workout routines or fitness plans, people were maintaining joint health, balance, and coordination well into old age.

In contrast, modern chair-based living keeps the body in limited positions for most of the day. Hips remain close to 90 degrees, knees rarely bend fully, and ankles hardly move into deep dorsiflexion. Over time, the body adapts to these restricted patterns.

“If full-range movement isn’t used regularly,” Dr. Akash notes, “the body slowly loses access to it.”

What Modern Living Has Changed

Western toilets and furniture are not inherently harmful. They serve important roles in accessibility and comfort. The issue arises when these conveniences completely remove deep joint movement from daily life.

The result is a gradual decline in mobility — one that often becomes visible only later, when stiffness, balance issues, and difficulty with basic movements begin to appear.

This decline is especially concerning in older adults.

Why Mobility Becomes Critical After 60

One of the most overlooked markers of healthy ageing is the ability to get down to the floor and stand back up independently. As people age, the risk of falls increases, reaction time slows, and balance can be compromised.

When mobility in the hips, knees, or ankles is limited, even a minor fall without fractures can become life-altering. Individuals may struggle to roll, kneel, squat, or stand without assistance.

“This is where mobility becomes more than flexibility,” Dr. Akash emphasises. “It becomes about freedom, dignity, and confidence.”

Was the Indian Toilet Functional Training?

From a physiotherapy standpoint, the answer is yes.

Using an Indian toilet requires deep hip flexion, full knee bending, strong and mobile ankles, and coordinated control of the core and lower body. In modern fitness terms, it closely resembles a deep squat — one of the most fundamental human movement patterns.

 Practised regularly and without pain, this movement helps preserve joint range, maintain neuromuscular coordination, and keep the lower body resilient.

 However, Dr. Akash is careful to point out that mobility alone is not enough.

 The Three Pillars of Healthy Ageing

 “To age well, mobility must work alongside strength and nutrition,” he explains.

 At One Rehab Physiotherapy, this philosophy is built around three key pillars: joint mobility to access full movement ranges, strength training — particularly for the legs, hips, and core — and good nutrition to support muscle mass and bone health.

 “This combination allows people not just to move, but to move safely and confidently,” Dr. Akash says.

 A Functional Approach to Physiotherapy

 At One Rehab Physiotherapy, the focus goes far beyond temporary pain relief. The clinic works extensively with older adults to rebuild strength, improve hip, knee, and ankle mobility, and retrain real-life movements such as sitting, standing, squatting, and maintaining balance.

 Equally important is restoring trust in the body.

 “Many people stop moving because they’re afraid,” Dr. Akash explains. “We help them regain confidence, step by step.”

 The clinic’s goal is simple yet powerful: to help individuals reach and maintain optimal functional fitness, regardless of age.

 The Bigger Takeaway

 Modern living does not require abandoning chairs or Western toilets. But it does demand intentional training to replace the movement that daily life no longer provides.

 If we want a future where older adults can recover after a fall, move independently, and live with confidence, then mobility and strength cannot be treated as afterthoughts. They must be non-negotiables.

 As Dr. Akash puts it, “Ageing should not mean helplessness — and movement should not stop at retirement.”

 One Rehab Physiotherapy is a trusted partner in recovery and wellness, specialising in pain relief, injury rehabilitation, post-surgical recovery, and mobility enhancement through advanced physiotherapy techniques. With personalised treatment plans and an expert team, the clinic focuses on faster recovery and long-term well-being.