Stretching exercises for seniors pdf files

The easiest exercises are at the beginning of each section, and are followed by progressively more difficult exercises. High resolution quality perfect for professional printers. For the workout, youll need two tennis balls, a sturdy chair with arms. Participating in these exercises will help individuals with limited movement to carry out the everyday activities that are essential to living as independently as possible. Here are some of the best chair exercises for seniors. Having exercise routines readily available will help give you a jump start towards better health. For example, breathe out as you li the weight, and breathe in as you relax. Find a relaxation exercise that you can practice daily or multiple times per week. Disclaimer this information is not meant to replace the. Very relaxed very tense with stress and worry, levels of anxiety and tension become higher over time. Contents acknowledgments i preface an exercise program for you iii chapter 1 the power of strength training 1 chapter 2 making change 4 chapter 3 getting motivated 7 chapter 4 starting your journey. Doing exercises at home can improve the overall quality of life for seniors. Aug 31, 2006 stretching throughout the day, rather than in one, longer time period, is perfectly okay, too.

And its safe, even for people with health problems. Raise that arm straight toward ceiling, palm facing in. Module a is the first of four groups of exercises that contains several fun and easytolearn movements designed to help you feel comfortable with chair exercises, and with using a ball as an exercise tool. Home exercises included strength training, stretching and lowimpact aerobics, such as. The warm up should consist of a combination of stretching exercises and jogging in place for 3 to 5 minutes the warmup may consists of jogging in place for 3 minutes, starting slowly and increasing intensity to warm the bodys muscles and ligaments. If it does, you are stretching too far and you need to. Stretch for flexibility, health, exercise, fitnessaarp. The university of georgia 3 when you exercise remember x check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program. First seek the guidance from a medical professional. There are three other sets of exercises in this series.

Hold each stretch for 30 seconds to give the muscle ample time to relax. There are two types of stretches static and ballistic stretches. Seated arm raise while seated upright in good posture raise your arms out in front of you moving them up overhead. For example, do them after endurance or strength exercises or, if you are doing only stretching exercises on a particular day, do a little bit of easy walking and armpumping first. Stretch after warm up but focus on stretching after activity o for best results, hold stretches at least 60sec, but the longer and more often stretches are performed the better the results will be. Exercise can delay this process by stretching muscles to prevent them from becoming short and tight.

Stretching log included to help user stay on track. Content is based on research evidence andor professional consensus. Do not begin a stretch program if you have been experiencing significant joint or back pain. Check out these articles, which were previously housed on the go4life exercise and physical activity website, to learn the latest on how exercise and physical activity can help you stay healthy as you age. Slowly bend forward from the hips keeping the back straight until a stretch is felt behind the knee. Cardiovascular exercises incorporate any continuous activity that helps to raise. Step with the leg closest to the rail in front of the other leg. Begin in a lunge position with knee bent to 90 degrees contract. Hamstring stretch sitting sit on bench with leg to be stretched extended in front of you, toes up, and the opposite foot resting on the floor. Bend ankles to point toes away from you and hold for 1030 seconds. Exercise and physical activity tracking tools national. Mindful stretching university of california, berkeley.

Dont bounce while you stretch, as this increases your risk of injury. This reduces the incidence of injuries, such as muscle strains, pulls or tears. Methods of stretching passive stretching passive assistance stretch imposed on a muscle with the assistance of a force other than the opposing muscle example. Weve gathered 29 different exercises designed to be safe and challenging for seniors and the elderly. Slowly move body towards the wall until stretch is felt. Lower extremity stretching home exercise program, page 2. I was fortunate the senior staff trusted me my theory was not supported in the literature.

If performing these stretches as a routine, youll want clear space, a mat, and a bench or chair. Start by stretching your arm and hand out and slowly rotate the wrist down until you feel a stretch. Relaxation skills for anxiety university of michigan. A 3part program 32 chapter 6 the courage to progress 70 chapter 7 staying on track. Lower body stretching protocol ucsf sports medicine rehab. Exercises in this category will help you maintain your range of motion. Sample flexibility plan for beginners veterans affairs. Exercise for older adults with a disability was developed by samantha artherholt, phd, and published by the university of washington aging and physical disability rehabilitation research and training center. The exercises in this module benefit our bodies in many ways. Stretching exercises static stretching routine standing position fwc referees programme rap physical area physical area 1 stretching exercises static stretching routine standing position, for warmup and cooldown points to keep in mind static hold position for 1520 seconds. Best 9 stretch exercises for seniors in the stretches below, we combine the two aforementioned styles of stretching.

Exercise increases strength, flexibility and balance. Your 12week workbook 74 appendix resources for staying strong 103. Inquiries or complaints may be addressed to the senior. Strength training requires little time and minimal equipment. Use the weekly exercise and physical activity form to make your own exercise and physical activity plan. Perform each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds, and repeat up to three rounds. Feel stretch in upper leg use wall or chair for support. Testing your flexibility to establish your stretching routine. Heres a fullbody stretching routine to try after a workout or on your rest day. This stretch is most effective after warming up or dynamic stretching active static stretch. A couple of stretches in the morning after you get out of bed, in the evening when you get home from work, or at your desk at lunch or break time can reenergize mind and body. Do each stretch 12 times, holding for 1520 seconds. Chair based exercises will develop your cardio fitness, muscular strength, and flexibility.

Instead of statically stretching the muscle, you bob or bounce to cause the muscles to stretch. Stretching is about learning how to relax in a comfortable, individual way. Stretching is one of the basic components of a sound exercise program. The exercises in each group are arranged in order of difficulty. Try the suggested exercises on the back of this sheet. Adding stretching into your weekly workout schedule is a must and key to keeping your muscles and joints healthy. Stretching should never cause pain, especially joint pain. Gentle exercise for mobility and stretching especially the muscles of the legs and back can help decrease the severity, duration and recurrence of low back pain. Stretching guide for older adults pdf file plus tracking. Static stretches stretching when the position is held for a given amount of time, usually 1530 seconds. This worksheet can help you find your current fitness level and explore.

Only stretch until you feel tension in the muscle, not to the point of pain. To prevent injury, dont jerk or thrust weights into position. Stretching guide for older adults pdf file plus tracking guide. Healing exercise sitting tai chi dvd basic tai chi exercises to rejuvenate, energize and destress. Upper body stretching protocol ucsf sports medicine rehab. Use our monthly progress test to track your fitness progress. Flexibility exercises also increase efficiency and therefore improve performance. According to researchers who published a study in the journal osteoporosis international, seniors who exercised for 60 minutes twice a week enjoyed an improved quality of life. Get motivated with go4life tracking tools and connect with us on social media. When doing leg lis, breathe out as you li your leg and breathe in as you lower it.

Mar 24, 2020 physical activity is an important part of healthy aging. Exercise is vital for people of all ages for maintaining health, preventing injuries, and lowering risks of heart diseases. Start with the small movements and gradually work to larger movement. Plus, youll see other tips to make the stretches easier. Exercises your kaiser permanente care instructions here are some examples of typical rehabilitation exercises for your condition. Through the normal aging process, muscles tend to lose elasticity and tissues around the joints thicken. Take a deep breath and slowly exhale as your stretch. To increase your flexibility and mobility basically, ability to get around try to do these stretches every day, or as often as possible. Sit in chair with your back supported by back of chair. Exercise and physical activity national institute on aging. No pain do not continue to stretch if you feel any sudden, sharp or intense pain.

The strength training prescription featured here the motivational tips, safety precautions, and specific exerciseswas developed at the nutrition, exercise physiology and sarcopenia laboratory at tufts university. A partner, another body part or gravity aids you in stretching see page 148 for examples. Flexibility exercises are done to increase overall muscle length. The goal of these types of relaxation exercises is to change this baseline to a lower level. The chair based exercises in this booklet, although lowintensity, will still encourage inactive people to develop healthy activity habits. Hand and forearm stretches home university of waterloo. Growing stronger strength training for older adults.

Background stretching exercises importance o to maintain proper muscle length balance o stretch muscles that are prone to shortening shortened muscles can cause limitations in range of motion and can alter the alignment of the joints, leading to injury. It takes time to make a large degree of progress with stretching exercises. Full body flexibility exercises general instructions 1. The physical therapist is a great resource for exercises and can help with strength, flexibility, balance, and functional training activities.