Staying Flexible

A Boone physical therapist shares simple stretches to ease tight muscles and stiff joints.

During the winter, when we typically become less active, we may feel tightness in our arms, legs or back. Tight muscles and stiff joints are common, but they can make daily tasks difficult and cause severe pain or limit our movements. Stretching exercises can help us maintain or improve our muscles’ extensibility — their ability to be stretched — and our joints’ range of motion.

If you sit for a long spell, you may notice your muscles are tight when you get up and move around. This is because our muscles are made of contractile fibers that automatically pull close to one another and shorten when we're not moving. Over time, muscles can get used to being in this shortened position.

Even if you're active, it's easy to overlook the benefits of regular stretching as part of a well-rounded exercise regimen. In the short term, stretching improves blood flow to muscle tissue and can decrease general aches and pains. Long-term benefits include improved muscle extensibility, range of motion, posture, and control of your limbs while walking, which can reduce your fall risk.

These exercises can be performed three to five times a week or every day if you can do them without discomfort. Warm up your muscles first with a few minutes of walking. Do these exercises so that you can feel the stretch, but don’t stretch so far that it hurts. If you need to, reduce how far you stretch, how long you hold the stretch, or how often you stretch until it becomes more comfortable. If you feel pain while doing these stretches, please stop and talk to your primary care provider. By Wes Glenn, DPT, PT, Boone Therapy

Hamstring Stretch

Stretches tight hamstring muscles that can cause back pain and reduced hip movement.

Sit on the edge of a chair and extend one foot in front of you with heel on the floor. Straighten your knee and then, while sitting up straight, lean forward at the hips until you feel a stretch in the back of your leg. Stretch for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat with the opposite leg. Do this stretch two times in each leg.

Variation

Put a short step stool under your heel to make it easier to lean forward.

Variation

Bend the knee on the side being stretched if you feel discomfort in your back.

Knee to Chest Stretch

Stretches the lower back and soft tissue in the hips.

Lie on a couch or bed and grasp the front of one knee and gently pull your knee towards your chest. You will feel a stretch in your buttocks and lower back. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and then repeat with the opposite leg. Do this stretch two times for each knee.

Upper Trapezius Stretch

Stretches the trapezius muscle, which controls the neck and shoulders.

Sit in a chair with good posture. Bend your neck to one side as if trying to place your ear against your shoulder, but don’t stretch farther than is comfortable. You will feel a stretch on the opposite side of your neck. Don’t turn your head during this stretch and don’t let your shoulders rise. Repeat in the other direction. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds. Do this stretch 2 times on each side.

Pectoral Stretch

Stretches the muscles running from your chest to your shoulders.

Standing in an open doorway, raise one arm and place it against the frame as shown. Turn your head and torso away from your arm to feel a stretch in your chest and the front of your shoulder. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat with the opposite arm. Do this stretch two times on each side.

Variation

Raise or lower where you place your arm to find a more comfortable position.

Trunk Rotation Stretch

Stretches muscles that can cause stiffness in the middle and lower spine.

Sit in a chair with good posture and turn your torso to face one direction as far as you comfortably can. You will feel a stretch in your back and trunk on the opposite side of your body. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds and repeat facing the opposite direction. Do this stretch two or three times on each side.

Trunk Side-Bending Stretch

Stretches muscles on the side of the spine.

Sit in a chair with good posture. Raise one arm above your head and lean towards your lowered arm until you feel a stretch along the side of your spine. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat with the opposite arm. Do this stretch two or three times on each side.