Stretches help prepare the body for a workout, help you relax at the end of a long day, and keep your joints mobile and flexible. Stretches that don't cause impact against your joints are especially beneficial, as you protect your joints from wear and tear that causes pain, arthritis and limited movement. Enjoy a few minutes of stretching in the morning and the evening before you go to bed to help relieve stiffness, reduce pain and keep your muscles, tendons and ligaments healthy and strong.
Neck
Neck stretches are effective for relieving stress and tension. If you sit in front of a computer all day, your shoulders tend to hunch forward, your head may droop and the back of your neck may feel the strain. Every once in a while, stretch your neck and shoulder muscles. Tilt your head from one side to the other, as if you're trying to touch your ear to your shoulder. Repeat this several times on each side. Then lift your chin and try to look over your right shoulder. Repeat on the left side. These exercises will stretch the flexors, extensors, rotators and lateral flexors in the neck.
Shoulders
Relieve tension and tightness in your shoulders by stretching your shoulder joints. Stand or sit comfortably, back straight. Bend your right arm and place your hand behind your left shoulder. Grasp the right elbow with your left hand and slowly and gently press it closer to your chest. You'll feel the pull in your rotator cuff muscles, your trapezius and your rhomboid and deltoid muscles.
Back
Your spine allows you to stand upright, bend forward and twist from side to side. Keep the muscles of the back limber by standing with your feet shoulder distance apart. Place your hands on your hips and then turn your upper torso to look over your right shoulder. Hold that stretch for a few seconds and then turn and twist to the other side, looking over your left shoulder. This low-impact stretch loosens the extensor and flexor muscles and the oblique muscles along your sides.
Ankles and Calves
Maintain optimal circulation in the lower extremities by occasionally stretching the ankles and calves. Lift your right foot from the floor and rotate your ankle in a clockwise and then counterclockwise motion. Repeat this movement with your left foot. Stretch your calf muscles by standing near a wall. Place your right toe against the baseboard and your left foot behind you, approximately 18 inches from the wall. Move your hips toward the wall, keeping the heel of the back foot firmly on the floor. You'll feel a good stretch along the back of your left leg and calf. Hold the stretch for several seconds and then repeat. Switch to stretch the other leg.
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