The 7 Best Stretches for Better Flexibility Over 60

5. Neck Stretch Time: 10 seconds Body part: Shoulders Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Drop your chin toward your chest, and then slowly extend it back for a few repetitions, keeping the shoulders square. Then, do a lateral stretch by gently pulling on the side right of your head to stretch the neck. Hold this stretch for 10 to 20 seconds before switching sides. Neck stretching helps alleviate tension, pain, or tightness in your shoulder area and back as well as your neck. 5. Neck Stretch
6. Seated Knee Hugs Time: 30 seconds Region: Lower body Sit tall on a chair with both feet flat on the floor. Float one knee up high and gently pull it in toward your body with your hands around the knee. Hug your knee for a few seconds, and then gently return your foot to the ground. Alternate every few seconds between each leg. “This mobility stretch loosens the hip flexors, promotes better mobility in the hips, stretches the lower back, and engages the core as the body stabilizes to balance,” Jesner says. “As you progress in this exercise, the movement can be done from a standing position to further challenge the core.” 6. Seated Knee Hugs
7. Standing Spine Twist Time: 30 seconds Body part: Back Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your core engaged. Stack your hands on top of your elbows at 90-degree angles. Keeping your hips forward and square, keep your gaze on your right hand and twist at the waist to achieve a stretch in the spine. Return to the center, pause, and twist in the other direction. Continue twisting in alternate directions. The spine twist helps improve the flexibility of the spine and trunk muscles in both directions as well as increase pelvic stability, Jesner says, which are important for balance and mobility in older adults. 7. Standing Spine Twist
Stretching is even more important as we get older, yet it’s something many people neglect to do. “As we age, we lose flexibility in our muscle fibers,” says Theresa Marko, PT, DPT , a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy in New York City. “So, it’s important to stretch to maintain extensibility of the muscles and allow for sufficient joint range of motion.” On top of that, research shows most U.S. adults sit too much, and sedentary time typically increases as people get older, Marko says. “All of this sitting makes your hips and knees, specifically your hip flexors, hamstrings, and calves, very tight,” she explains. Stretching helps prevent tightness. How to Start a Stretching Routine Beginning a stretch routine requires some guidance and safety precautions, especially for older adults who may not have stretched or exercised in a while, so Marko recommends seeing a physical therapist. A physical therapist will evaluate your physical condition and provide stretching recommendations based on your abilities. They can also provide assisted stretching, which is great for people with very limited mobility and helps reduce stiffness and improve range of motion, notes Cleveland Clinic . If you can’t see a physical therapist for any reason, Marko has a few general tips: Begin with 5 to 10 minutes of stretching. Work your way up as you get used to the new movements. Choose two or three stretches to start with and see how your joints respond. Stop a stretch if you feel severe pain in your joints — but remember that mild discomfort in your muscles is normal while stretching. Don’t overdo it by trying to stretch too deeply. Respect your current range of motion, and give your body time to respond and improve. Focus on the main trouble spots: hips, hamstrings, calves, and spine. Balance skills often diminish with age, so make sure to have a sturdy and supportive anchor, like a chair or wall, to hold on to when you stretch. Because osteoarthritis (wear and tear of cartilage between bones) and osteoporosis (bone loss) become more prevalent with age, it’s important to be mindful not to overstretch, causing excess stress on the joints, Marko says. This is particularly true for osteoporosis. “You don’t want to cause an unintended fracture by accident,” she says. The 7 Best Stretches for Adults Over 60 With those safety tips in mind, here are the best stretches for adults 60 and older. They are simple and don’t require any equipment, so you can try them right at home.
1. Wall Calf Stretch Time: 15 seconds Body part: Legs Standing just shy of one arm’s length away from a wall, place your hands flat on the surface and push your right leg back, bending the left knee for support. Keep both feet flat on the floor, making sure the supporting knee does not surpass the toes. Push against the wall to feel a stretch down the right leg. Hold this stretch for 15 to 30 seconds, and then change sides. This stretch is crucial for older adults because it can help loosen tight muscles in the calves that could contribute to imbalance and, consequently, a fall, Marko says. 1. Wall Calf Stretch
2. Seated Side Stretch Time: 15 seconds Body part: Shoulders Sit on a chair with both feet flat on the floor. Take a deep breath in and reach your right arm overhead, stretching away from the body as you exhale. Keep your right arm in line with the ribs and your core lightly engaged to maintain proper form. Hold this stretch for 15 to 30 seconds, and then change sides. This stretch is good for the shoulders, says Leoni Jesner , an ACE-certified personal trainer based in New York City with expertise in training older adults. It stretches the intercostal muscles (breathing muscles between the ribs) for better support of each side of the body. 2. Seated Side Stretch
3. Seated Chest Opener Time: 10 seconds Body part: Chest Sit on a chair with both feet flat on the floor, and gently hold the back of your head with both hands. Open your elbows wide to the sides and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Keeping your chest proud and neck long, gaze up and roll your shoulders back. Hold this stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, and repeat for three rounds. “This movement opens and creates space in the front of the body, reversing the effects of a rounded shoulder posture and promoting proper spinal alignment,” Jesner says. 3. Seated Chest Opener
4. Seated Hip Stretch Time: 30 seconds Region: Lower body Sit tall on a chair with your feet hip-width apart and flat on the floor. Lift your right ankle and place it on your left thigh, keeping the foot flexed. Hold on to the foot and gently press on the right knee until a stretch is felt. Hold for a full 30 seconds before switching legs. This hip stretch is ideal for relieving tightness and tension in the hip flexors and pelvic area, Jesner says. It’s great for beginners and older adults because you don’t need much balance to perform it. 4. Seated Hip Stretch