Maintaining your body’s flexibility is very important to help increase your range of motion and easily perform daily tasks. But as you age, your muscles tend to become shorter and less elastic, which results to pain even with basic movements. When your body doesn’t move, you get weaker and your overall health declines. That’s why exercise such as stretching is very helpful if you want to maintain your mobility. Flexibility or the lack thereof is a major concern for everyone because it doesn’t just affect your physical health but your emotional health as well.
Stretching seems a little less essential but you’ll be surprised how doing it every day even can do wonders for you.
Stretching can help reduce back pain.
Back pain is a common ailment for aging adults and most of the time, it’s a result from a form of arthritis called Osteoarthritis. This degenerative joint disease is the most common form of arthritis that affects 33.6% (12.4 million) of adults aged 65 and older. Stretching can help improve flexibility and elasticity that can relieve stiffness in the affected joints that causes pain.
Stretching reduces your risk of falling.
According to statistics, an estimated number of 424,000 individuals die from falls globally each year and in all regions of the world, these death rates are highest among adults ages 60 and above. But with daily stretching exercises, you will be able to reduce your risk of falling because this can help improve balance and stability. Stretching definitely strengthens and restores weakened muscles and help you perform daily tasks safely.
Stretching maintains good posture.
Having a good posture is not just about looking good but is essential in preventing back pain. As you age, connective tissues become less elastic and flexible which results to poor posture. When you have a poor posture, you experience pain in the lower back and between your shoulder blades because the natural S-curvature in your spine is compressed. With stretching, you get to loosen tight ligaments, tendons and muscles, resulting to a more flexible spine, better range of motion and good posture.
Stretching improves your blood circulation.
Certain stretching exercises can increase circulation and nutrient flow in your body, giving you more energy for overall healthy aging.
Stretching is good for the heart.
In relation to an improved blood circulation, stretching exercises paired with a healthy diet can actually reverse the hardening of arteries and reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases.
