Stretching exercises for the elderly are important for maintaining physical and emotional well-being, but should be performed with care to avoid injury.
Regular practice of stretching exercises helps increase flexibility of muscles and joints, promotes blood circulation and makes it easier to perform some daily activities such as cooking, cleaning and tidying up.
Here are three simple examples of stretching exercises for the elderly that can be done at home:
Exercise 1
Lying down with the belly up, bend one of the legs and hold on top of the knee, but be careful not to force the joint. Hold this position for 30 seconds while breathing and then repeat the exercise with the other leg.
Exercise 2
Sitting with your legs together in front of your body, stretch your arms and try to place your hands on your feet, as shown in picture 2. Stand in this position for 30 seconds.
Exercise 3
Standing, tilt your body to the side as shown in the picture. 3. Stand in this position for 30 seconds and then do the exercise by turning the other way.
These stretching exercises can be done at any time of day, but it is important to respect the limits of the body to avoid injury to muscles or joints. The regularity with which these stretching exercises are done is also important to achieve its benefits and therefore it is recommended to do the exercises at least 3 times a week.
In addition to these 3 examples you can also do other stretching exercises like the one we have listed in the following video to improve your blood circulation, mobility and well-being. You can do these in a few minutes and you will feel much better:
Read too:
- 5 exercises for seniors to do at home
- The best exercises for the elderly
- What the elderly should eat to lose weight
