More and more benefits are being discovered from physical exercise, and particularly from stretching. Being active every day, explains the Spanish Heart Foundation, lengthens life expectancy by an average of three years.
And sport not only lengthens but also improves the quality of life , so it is advisable to practice it at all ages, in different ways. In the elderly, stretching and joint rotations are one of the most recommended, safe and effective practices.
Here we are going to discover the best stretching exercises for seniors . Take note!
Recommended stretching exercises for older people
Ten minutes a day of stretching improves flexibility, coordination and blood circulation, preventing cardiovascular disease. When we move the body we warm up ligaments, muscles and tendons, and at the same time our brain secretes serotonin, adrenaline and dopamine, hormones that translate into a better mood.
Next, we propose a series of exercises that will activate the body, starting with the head and going down to the feet, and that can be done at home. It is important that, if you are going to work with an elderly adult, you always do it hand in hand with professionals in the sector such as those you will find in Qida.es , caring for the elderly. In Qida, you will find social professionals like Núria Ripoll Sastre, Occupational Therapist. who work every day taking care of the elderly and helping them to enjoy a better quality of life.
Exercise 1
We start by standing , in a space where we can extend our arms freely. If we have the possibility to do it in the sun, in a park or on a terrace, the practice will be more pleasant.
We start by rotating our heads very slowly , five times in one direction and five times in the other. Then we make the gesture of saying “yes”, also five times, and as many times with the gesture of saying “no”.
When noticing that the cervicals are stretched , we stop for a few seconds in the position, noting how the muscle relaxes, without pain.
Exercise 2
In the same position, with the feet open at shoulder height, we are going to activate the lats .
We put one hand behind and bring the other to the ceiling. We can bend slightly to feel the muscles on the side more intensely, but remembering at all times that the exercise should be pleasant.
We repeat between five and ten times on each side, trying to breathe deeply in each exercise.
Exercise 3
We go to a torso twist : we turn our body as if someone was calling us right behind us and we wanted to look at him, but without being able to move our feet. This is a movement similar to that of discus throwers, but you have to do it slowly, without bouncing your body.
To work the legs, we will do the exercises with a chair next to it , in such a way that if at any moment it is difficult for us to maintain balance we can support ourselves. We make a stride, placing one foot in front and one behind.
In this position, we go down and up slowly, also between five and ten push-ups, and change legs. If you want to do the exercise more intense, simply open your legs more and, when flexing, lower your knee to the ground.
Since a stretch is a rotation, we reach the ankles: we bring our legs together and slightly lift one foot. We can do it by balancing on the opposite leg, or by holding on to the chair. Here, we rotate the ankle that we have raised, in one direction, then in the opposite direction, and we change feet. Thus, and in just over ten minutes, we will have activated the entire body.
