As many people age, they begin to limit activity and exercise due to aching joints and muscles. What a lot of people fail to realize is that by not exercising and stretching, the condition of muscle atrophy (weakness and wasting away of muscle tissue) can occur. By beginning a stretching program, or merely incorporating stretching into a daily exercise routine, a great deal of the age-related muscle atrophy can be prevented.

One type of exercise that is often overlooked, yet is incredibly beneficial and essential to every senior’s routine, is stretching. Physiologically, a comprehensive stretching program can have an overwhelming effect on mobility and flexibility. It has been proven countless times that regular stretching combined with flexibility exercises greatly improves posture, gait, and balance, which in turn helps to prevent falls and the injuries that may result from a fall.

Many of us know that staying active as we age is necessary in order to maintain a good quality of life. One of the best ways to stay active is by getting involved in some kind of exercise. Whether it is in a group setting, at home, or in the gym, the important thing is to just get moving.

Benefits of Stretching book for Seniors

Increased flexibility is the most often cited benefit of stretching. Flexibility is the ability to move a joint through its complete range of motion. Regular stretching can help to increase flexibility, which is critical for seniors, as it helps to perform daily activities with more ease. Stretching has been known to help in the prevention of injury. Some muscle groups, if too tight, can lead to an imbalance of the body. This can be problematic because an imbalance may lead to added stress on ligaments, tendons, and joints. If those muscles are weak in relation to the opposing muscles, the joint may not track properly, which can lead to injury.

Stretching helps to decrease muscle imbalances. Stretching has also been known to promote circulation. The increased blood flow to the muscles and joints can help acceleration of healing from an injury. Stretching can also help in the reduction of soreness from an intense workout. When the muscles are tight, the range of motion in the joints is affected. This can alter the way we perform tasks and can set the stage for a strain or sprain.

A muscle strain is an overstretch or a tearing of the muscle, and a sprain is the tearing of a ligament. Maintaining the range of motion in our joints can help prevent injuries to the muscles and ligaments. Finally, stretching can help to relieve stress. When a muscle contracts, the opposing muscle relaxes. Senior citizens have a lot to gain from regular stretching. Not only can many benefits be gained from something that requires so little time and effort, but stretching can be done anywhere and requires no equipment. The healthy choice is the easy choice. Stretching is a simple, yet powerful way to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.

Importance of Proper Technique

Due to the fastidious and delicate nature of the human body, a specific process must be followed for stretching to ensure maximal benefit and to minimize the potential for injury. The elderly tend to have more chronic physical degeneration and frequently have more physical discomfort. Consequently, they may try to stretch to reduce discomfort without ever having stretched before, which increases the probability of improper technique. They may not feel that they have the capability or the time to stretch, or they may only know specific stretches to do from memory.

This results in a less than 10% chance of senior citizens stretching once a week. Unfortunately, improper technique or infrequent stretching will not help solve physical discomfort and may even increase the probability of injury created from everyday activities. Therefore, it is crucial for seniors to implement a new stretching regimen with the mindset that it must be done carefully and with the best technique. It would also be beneficial for older individuals to have a family member or spouse who also understands the importance of proper technique to help provide motivation and create a joint effort to stretch correctly.