Staying Active Can Be Simple

When winter comes, we might prefer to stay home away from cold weather, but we can still stay active! Even simple exercises can offer benefits.

Regular physical activity offers numerous health benefits including regulating blood pressure, managing anxiety and depression, and preventing weight gain. Strength training can improve your ability to do everyday activities and your quality of life. Stretching can improve your performance in physical activities, decrease your risk of injuries, and help your joints maintain a full range of motion. Balance training challenges your body to maintain proper postural control in different conditions.

Start these exercises with a lower number of repetitions or shorter duration and increase over time. You may feel some muscle soreness after doing these exercises, but if you feel pain or other problems during a particular exercise, stop immediately. If pain persists, please contact your primary care provider.

Swiss Ball Trunk Stretch

Increases flexibility of your lower back.

Sit at the edge of a table or bed, roll the exercise or swiss ball to the front. When you feel a stretch, hold for 10 seconds, then slowly return. Repeat 3 sets, 1 to 2 times a day.

If you don’t have an exercise ball, you can use a rolling chair for this exercise.

Single Limb Stance

Improves balance and stability.

Stand tall on one leg, with your weight distributed evenly on your foot and your toes pointing forwards. Use your arms for balance or hold onto a support if needed. Hold for 30 seconds. Do 4 sets, holding for 30 seconds on each leg, 1 to 2 times a day.

If this position is too difficult, place right foot in front of the left foot, with the right heel touching the toes of the left foot. (Keep your feet slightly staggered if you can’t bring them this close together.)

Did you know? The inability to hold a single limb stance for 5 seconds is a strong predicator of falls.

Iliotibial Band Stretch

Increases the flexibility of your iliotibial band, which runs down the outer thigh from hip to knee.

Lie on your back. Wrap a strap or belt around your foot. Pull your leg up, keeping your knee locked out straight. When it starts to feel tight, pull your leg across your body until you feel a stretch on the outside of your leg. Do not force any further range – once you feel the stretch, hold it for 30 seconds. Repeat on opposite side. Do 2 to 3 sets, 1 to 2 times a day.

Standing Hip Extension

Strengthens gluteus maximus muscle

Stand straight and hold on to a support. Lift your leg backwards. As you lift, keep your torso straight – don’t arch your back or lean forward. Do 2 sets of 10 repetitions on each side, 1 to 2 times a day.

Sitting Scapular Squeeze

Corrects shoulder posture while seated

Stand or sit with your arms at your sides. Gently squeeze shoulder blades together. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds. Do a set of 10 reps 1 to 2 times a day.

Clamshell

Strengthens the gluteal muscles

Lie on your side with your knees bent. Gently pull in your lower stomach. Lift your top knee as far as you can without letting your body rotate forward or back – don’t turn at your waist. Keep your feet together during the exercise. Do 2 sets of 10 repetitions, 1 to 2 times a day.

For more information on Therapy Services, visit boone.health/therapy-services or call 573-815-3868

By Shi Yan, Boone Health Outpatient Physical Therapy student