March 8th, 2013
The Wall Leaner & Toe Buster.
The next couple of exercises are for your feet. It is essential to spend
time stretching and exercising your feet because they play such a crucial role
when it comes to maintaining your mobility which is the mainstay of your
independence. If your feet are not in good shape you will experience
restrictions that are bound to have a negative impact on your overall quality
of life. Plantar fasciitis, bunions, tendonitis, toenail fungus, stress
fractures and warts are some of the more common foot problems that hinder
mobility. Obviously, if you are experiencing any of these conditions you should
be consulting with your health professional. They can best advise you on how to
care for your feet. If your feet are in reasonably good shape you still should
be working them with stretches and exercises for prevention purposes.Here are two good stretches to start you on the road to better foot care.
· You should be facing the wall with your feet about nine inches (23 cm) apart.
· Lift your arms about shoulder high in front of you.
· Lean forward until the palms of your hands are resting on the wall.
· Position your body so that your neck, waist, knees and elbows are straight.
· Bend your elbows. Keep your knees straight. Heels on the floor.
· Hold this position for ten seconds.
· Straighten your elbows and bend your knees while keeping your heels on the floor.
· Hold this position for ten seconds.
· Do five repetitions for each position.
Stand about two feet (60 cm) from the wall.
·Bring your left foot forward and lift your toes up onto the base of the wall.
·Rest the top of your head against the wall.
·Clench your fists.
·Bend both knees toward the wall until your left one is touching it.
·Rotate your hands to give your wrists a stretch at the same time.
·Hold the position for about twenty seconds.
·Switch feet and repeat the same routine.
·Repeat three times with each foot.
Hopefully these stretches will prove helpful to you. If you have stretches of your own that you wish to share I would love to hear from you. Also let me know of any interesting experiences you have had with your stretching program.
drlarrymcconnell@gmail.com
2012
We all know exercise plays an important role in maintaining our health. The choices for getting a reasonable amount of exercise are practically unlimited, but one routine I strongly suggest you include in your repertoire is stretching. I have been following a systematic stretching routine five or six times a week for decades. I am a very flexible and mobile guy which I largely credit to my staying power with a well-planned stretching routine. Stretching has the added benefit of being very relaxing if you do it in a slow manner without putting any heavy pressure on your joints.
If you are not a stretcher, you may want to give it a try. Depending on your health, it may be wise to consult your health adviser before getting started, and remember the process should be slow and steady.I always suggest that newcomers start with some very basic stretches that are central to the maintenance of our mobility. I say keep your hands & wrist flexible, your feet & ankles agile and your back supple and in all likelihood you will remain rather mobile as you get older. Let me guide you through a few stretches for these parts of your body.
1. Wrist & Fingers
Sit down at a table in a straight-backed chair with your feet flat on the floor. Put your right elbow on the table and raise your right hand and forearm about half way toward your shoulder.Your right fist should be just about eye level. Turn your wrist so that your fingers are pointed back toward your shoulder and the palm of your hand is facing the ceiling. Now take the left hand and rest the palm across the fingers and thumb on your right hand. Start to press down on your fingers with the left palm while your fingers resist the pressure. Hold for six or eight seconds then loosen the pressure. Repeat this stretch three or four times.
Now, keeping the right elbow and wrist in the same position move your right hand so that the back of it is facing the ceiling and your fingers are pointing straight out away from you. Take your left hand and place it across the back of your right hand just before the wrist. Start to press down with the palm of your left hand and hold for five or six seconds. Repeat this stretch three or four times.
Next you go through the exact same procedure stretching the left hand and wrist.
2. Feet & Ankles
Many seniors' walking mobility is restricted due to a variety of feet and ankle problems. Such limitations can have a significant impact on these people's quality of life. Nevertheless, stretching can improve mobility even if you are limited to some degree as a result of foot or ankle problems. Of course prevention is always the best strategy, but planful stretching can still be beneficial to people already experiencing some mobility challenges. So whether for preventative or curative reasons your feet and ankles deserve special care. Here are some foot stretches I do nearly every day. It is best to do these stretches on a carpeted floor.
Stand in your bare feet out one metre from a wall. Face the wall with your feet about eight inches apart. Lean forward from the hips until the palms of your hands rest comfortably on the wall. Your elbows should be straight and your feet flat on the floor.
Now with your knees stiff, bend your elbows as much as you can and lean toward the wall while keeping your feet flat on the floor. Hold this position for ten seconds.
Next, straighten your elbows, bend your knees and lean toward the wall while keeping your feet flat on the floor. Hold this position for ten seconds.
Go through the full routine ten times.
3. The Back
Oh, our poor temperamental backs! I doubt there are very many of us who can say we have waltzed through life with a totally cooperative back. They just seem to get in the way and act up at the damnedest times. I have certainly had my moments, but for the most part have been quite fortunate. Nevertheless, I do give my back plenty of attention and tender loving care. Over the decades I have used a variety of exercises and stretches for nurturing my back, but have found one routine way more effective than anything else I used over the years. It involves a series of stretches. Rather than trying to describe them I will give you the link to a site that can guide you step by step. Take a look.
Hopefully these stretches will prove helpful to you. If you have stretches of your own that you wish to share I would love to hear from you. Also let me know of any interesting experiences you have had with your stretching program.
drlarrymcconnell@gmail.com
We all know exercise plays an important role in maintaining our health. The choices for getting a reasonable amount of exercise are practically unlimited, but one routine I strongly suggest you include in your repertoire is stretching. I have been following a systematic stretching routine five or six times a week for decades. I am a very flexible and mobile guy which I largely credit to my staying power with a well-planned stretching routine. Stretching has the added benefit of being very relaxing if you do it in a slow manner without putting any heavy pressure on your joints.
If you are not a stretcher, you may want to give it a try. Depending on your health, it may be wise to consult your health adviser before getting started, and remember the process should be slow and steady.I always suggest that newcomers start with some very basic stretches that are central to the maintenance of our mobility. I say keep your hands & wrist flexible, your feet & ankles agile and your back supple and in all likelihood you will remain rather mobile as you get older. Let me guide you through a few stretches for these parts of your body.
1. Wrist & Fingers
Sit down at a table in a straight-backed chair with your feet flat on the floor. Put your right elbow on the table and raise your right hand and forearm about half way toward your shoulder.Your right fist should be just about eye level. Turn your wrist so that your fingers are pointed back toward your shoulder and the palm of your hand is facing the ceiling. Now take the left hand and rest the palm across the fingers and thumb on your right hand. Start to press down on your fingers with the left palm while your fingers resist the pressure. Hold for six or eight seconds then loosen the pressure. Repeat this stretch three or four times.
Now, keeping the right elbow and wrist in the same position move your right hand so that the back of it is facing the ceiling and your fingers are pointing straight out away from you. Take your left hand and place it across the back of your right hand just before the wrist. Start to press down with the palm of your left hand and hold for five or six seconds. Repeat this stretch three or four times.
Next you go through the exact same procedure stretching the left hand and wrist.
2. Feet & Ankles
Many seniors' walking mobility is restricted due to a variety of feet and ankle problems. Such limitations can have a significant impact on these people's quality of life. Nevertheless, stretching can improve mobility even if you are limited to some degree as a result of foot or ankle problems. Of course prevention is always the best strategy, but planful stretching can still be beneficial to people already experiencing some mobility challenges. So whether for preventative or curative reasons your feet and ankles deserve special care. Here are some foot stretches I do nearly every day. It is best to do these stretches on a carpeted floor.
Stand in your bare feet out one metre from a wall. Face the wall with your feet about eight inches apart. Lean forward from the hips until the palms of your hands rest comfortably on the wall. Your elbows should be straight and your feet flat on the floor.
Now with your knees stiff, bend your elbows as much as you can and lean toward the wall while keeping your feet flat on the floor. Hold this position for ten seconds.
Next, straighten your elbows, bend your knees and lean toward the wall while keeping your feet flat on the floor. Hold this position for ten seconds.
Go through the full routine ten times.
3. The Back
Oh, our poor temperamental backs! I doubt there are very many of us who can say we have waltzed through life with a totally cooperative back. They just seem to get in the way and act up at the damnedest times. I have certainly had my moments, but for the most part have been quite fortunate. Nevertheless, I do give my back plenty of attention and tender loving care. Over the decades I have used a variety of exercises and stretches for nurturing my back, but have found one routine way more effective than anything else I used over the years. It involves a series of stretches. Rather than trying to describe them I will give you the link to a site that can guide you step by step. Take a look.
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