Your body is made up of many joints. The movement that you are capable of at these joints is your range of motion. Each joint allows for specific movements dependent on the type. Restrictions of movement may occur due to bony structure abnormalities, tight muscles or other soft tissue restrictions around the joint. Injury and lack of use commonly result in loss of range of motion. Exercise to maintain and increase motion are effective and necessary in allowing for normal and functional activities on a daily basis.
Neck
Your neck allows for turning to see from side to side, up and down. Neck rotation can be increased by turning your head as far as you can to the right and holding for at least 10 seconds and then back to the left. The rest of the neck exercises will all be done while looking straight ahead. Flexion is done by looking down and attempting to touch your chin to your chest. Extension can increased by simply stretching your head back to look at the ceiling and holding. Side bending is performed by tilting your right ear toward your right shoulder and repeated on the opposite side. You should be able to tilt about half way between straight and shoulder.
Back
Back motion allows for bending forward and back, rotating right and left and lateral, or side, bending. To work on forward flexion, reach down toward your toes and stretch. To increase extension or back bending, place your hands on your hips and bend back as far as your are comfortably able to do. Rotation can be increased by crossing your arms over your chest and twisting your upper back as far to the right as you can, then repeating back to the left. Side bends are performed by sliding your hand as far as you can reach down your same side leg. Hold all of these exercises at least 10 seconds for optimal stretch.
Arms
Your arm joints include your shoulder, elbow and wrist. To increase the motion of your shoulder you will want to reach as far overhead as you can. Using a wall to help you reach higher is beneficial if you have limitations in this range. Grasping your hands together behind your back will help to increase your extension. Attempting to touch your hands together behind your back by reaching one hand overhead as if trying to scratch your upper back and the other under as if trying to scratch your lower back will increase rotational motions. Your elbows should be able to fully bend and extend. Using your other hand to provide gentle pressure can increase these motions if needed. Pronation and supination are the rotational motions of the elbow/wrist and can be increased by supporting your forearm on a flat surface and turning the palm upward as far as you can stretch. Follow this with a palm-down motion. Stretch your wrist placing your palm flat against a wall, fingers facing the ceiling, and create a gentle pressure. You can then switch to the back of the hand. Your fingers will be pointing toward the floor.
Legs
Your leg joints include the hip, knee and ankle. Increasing your hip motion can be done by sitting on the floor with the bottoms of your feet together in a butterfly position and gently pressing your knees toward the floor. Stretching the hamstrings by doing seated toe touches increase your ability to flex the hip. Lying on your back pull one knee to your chest while your other leg remains straight to increase hip flexion. These exercises also supplement back flexion. To increase the bending of your knees you may lie on your stomach, bend your knee as far as you can while pulling gently on your foot. If you need to increase knee extension, you may sit on the floor and gently push your knee toward the floor. Pressure should be placed above the knee as pushing down directly on the knee can force the kneecap into the bone creating the potential for injury. Ankle motion can be increased by stretching the Achilles, or heel, cord. Standing on a step, drop your heel over the edge pushing it down toward the floor. Pointing your toes as far as you can and holding will help with the motion of plantar flexion.
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