It is important to stay active as a senior citizen because it will keep you young and capable of maintaining a physical lifestyle. Being sedentary will lead to the deterioration of your muscles and joints, and it will make it harder for you to do the things that you were once able to do without a thought. An easy way for you to stay in shape is to stretch each day. Stretching is vital because it will keep you flexible and capable of bending and reaching without the risk of injury. It is also vital for you to have open communication with your physician to be aware of which activities are safe. Static stretching, or stretching while standing still or sitting, is most likely the safest form of stretching. These stretches are just as effective as any other form of stretching and are safe because, if performed correctly, they are unlikely to cause injury. Another safe form of stretching is yoga. It is recommended that you take a short run before stretching; however, if you are unable to run, you could walk, run lightly in place, do jumping jacks, or do any form of full-body warmup without using your muscles intensely. It is important to warm up your body, more specifically your muscles, before proceeding to in-depth stretching. The goal is to stretch your body until you feel slight tension or the lightest pull on your muscles, and this sensation will tell you when you are stretching.
There are many stretches you can do. Please refer to the articles on static stretching, yoga stretches, and stretching certain body parts (e.g., top neck stretches, top arm stretches, or top leg stretches). These articles will give you some ideas about certain stretches you may feel comfortable doing. It is possible to sit in a chair while stretching, too. Sit toward the front of the chair so you are at the halfway point on your seat. With your legs straight out, reach for your toes. You will feel a pull in your legs and when you do, hold the stretch for ten seconds. The more you stretch, the farther you will be able to reach and the more flexible you will become. While sitting at the halfway point of your chair, spread your legs wide and, keeping them straight, use your left hand to reach for your right ankle. Then switch to use your right hand to reach for your left ankle. Another stretch would be to sit far back on your chair and sit up straight. Cross your right leg over your left and place your left elbow against your right knee. Use your elbow to push against your knee and try to face backward over your right shoulder. You will be stretching your back, leg, and arm in the process. Then switch sides. Cross your left leg over your right and place your right elbow against your left knee. Push your right elbow against your left knee and face backward over your left shoulder. Some simple arm stretches would be to put your arms out wide and do small and large circles. You can also stretch your ankles by sitting up straight, lifting one foot at a time off the ground, and making circles with your toes. Each stretch should be held for at least ten seconds and should be repeated as many times as you feel are necessary.
