Increased joint range of motion.
Our joints can lose up to 50% of their range of motion as we age. The older you get, the stiffer and tighter your muscles, tendons, and ligaments will become if you do not take care of them. Think of a baby! they are born with a fantastic range of motion and can touch their foot to their face without even thinking about it! So why can't you do this now? As the saying goes, if you don’t lose it you lose it. In this case, if you don’t stretch, you lose your flexibility which will lead to a whole array of health issues.
Stops chronic pains and aches.
Flexibility problems are usually noticed in the hips and shoulders first. These parts of the body start to tighten up, and this can have a domino effect on other movements throughout the body. These issues become more noticeable as we age. Activities that were once so simple to do such as bending over to put your on your shoe can become an insurmountable task because your back or hamstrings are too tight. This loss of function can be prevented by doing ten minutes of stretching a day. Seniors who are proactive about stretching tend to have better mobility and healthier bodies overall.
Slow down aging!
Flexibility declines as the years go by because muscles get stiffer. If you don’t maintain that flexibility, the muscles will shorten. Reduced flexibility affects our posture and our ability to enjoy everyday activities. Before you realize it, you’re looking and feeling old and not able to do the things that you would like to do. Fortunately, you don’t need to follow down this path. Even if you are currently on it and feeling “old”. I’m here to tell you that you can begin reversing the aging process. You can slow your rate of aging by engaging in stretch sessions daily; you can start today… Or you can grow old faster by allowing your body to become stiff, weak, and frail.
Decrease the risk of falling.
According to the CDC, one out of four older adults will experience a significant every year. The risk of falling increases with age for many reasons, including overall weakness and frailty, balance problems, and cognitive problems. Have you ever seen an older adult start walking with his feet turned outward significantly? Almost like a duck? This can be caused by tightness in the back of the leg. The tightness causes the feet to turn outwards, causing them to walk with a strange gait. This outward position of the feet and abnormal gait are caused by tight hamstrings and this causes falls. Keep those legs in shape for walking, and start a stretching routine!
It's easy to get started!
Stretching is one of the easiest, cheapest, and most beneficial places to start if you’re thinking of implementing a new routine. You don’t need any equipment. You don’t need a fancy routine. You don’t need to go anywhere. Start where you are. By making one small change and starting with some basic stretches, you can increase your flexibility, relaxation, and improve the quality of your life! So are you going to start to stretch every day? Let us know in the comments below!