Many seniors live with limited mobility and are not able to do a lot of the activities they like to do. The pain of arthritis can also be a hindrance to enjoying life. It does not have to be that way. The Miracle of Stretching can and will help.
Did you know that stretching helps fight arthritis, increases your range of motion and reduces pain. Stretching increases muscle blood flow and enables them to work more effectively. It can also decrease the likelihood of injury.
As a Certified Personal Trainer I have seen firsthand how stretching has helped my clients feel better and move easier. It is not uncommon to hear “My knees don’t hurt as much anymore”. “I was able to walk a lot farther”. And one of my personal favorites “My back feels much better now”. These people embraced a life of stretching and increased mobility.
I had a consultation with a potential client one time, and he was overweight and had a cane. In the middle of the consultation he said he had to sit down. He had been standing for only a few minutes. So I decided to change up how I usually did consultations and decided to stretch him out a bit. I stretched out his hamstrings, quadriceps and calves. Basically most of the leg muscles. When we finished he was moving quite a bit better.
The next time I saw him he said he did some gardening the next day. He also said that he did it for 2 hours. I assumed that he was telling me the truth because he could barely stand for a few minutes the last time I saw him.
This is one example of how stretching can improve your life. If you make it part of your life your mobility and what you can do will get better. I, myself as a trainer offer full mobility programs. I give my clients homework and guess what some of that homework always is? You got it, stretching. Corrective exercise is another program which I offer. I will be writing about what corrective exercise is in next months issue. I sincerely hope you take the time to read it. Have a great day.
