We do this movement many times a day, and for many people – especially those with weak legs, sore joints or balance problems – it can be surprisingly hard. Pushing on your thighs is not a bad habit or a sign of laziness. It is a simple, smart way to use your body’s mechanics.

When you press down on your thighs, your arms help your legs to do the work. Some of your body weight is supported by your upper body, so your quadriceps and gluteal muscles do not have to work as hard. If those muscles are weak, tired or painful, this extra help can be the difference between a struggle and a smooth rise.

There is straightforward physics behind it. Standing up is a lever problem: your hips act like a pivot, your body weight is the load, and your leg muscles provide the effort. By pushing on your thighs, you apply force further from the hip joint. That increases the turning effect – torque – so you get more lift for the same effort. In everyday terms, it is like using a longer handle on a spanner: the longer the handle, the easier the turn.

Sharing the load with your arms also reduces stress on your hips and knees. That can ease pain for people with arthritis, for instance, and it lowers the chance of awkward compensations that can lead to injury.

Balance matters too. Using your hands gives you extra points of support as you move, helping you control your centre of mass and making the transition from sitting to standing steadier and safer. For anyone prone to wobbling, that added stability is valuable.