gerardcarey
Veteran Member
Having been in rehab many times over the years I have, with the help of Doctors and Physios, developed a set of gentle stretches with which to start the day. I start the day in bed. When Caminoing I do these again once I've checked in to my accommodation for the night. They are done lying flat on my back in bed, without a pillow, and take less than five minutes.
The stretching progression is designed so that I start at my toes and work my way up to my head, which makes them easy to remember and to do in sequence.
There is only nine of them, they are all easy, and take me only 15 seconds each.
While they are simple, I do them gently and carefully. If I cramp up I stop immediately, relax until I uncramp, then resume.
I hold each position while I count slowly to 15, then gently relax.
The first 4 stretches I do with my hands folded across my chest.
1. I point my toes downward firmly, to stretch the front muscles of my feet/ankles.
2. I pull my toes back upwards firmly.Then push backs of knees down to the mattress to stretch my calf muscles.
3. I clench my front thigh muscles.
4. I clench my buttocks and rise up on them.
The next 3 stretches I do with my hands linked behind my head.
5. I press my lower back into the bed and raise my shoulders a little off the bed.
6. Keeping my butt and shoulders on the bed, I gently attempt to raise my lower back off the bed just a little way.
7. I press my head back gently into the bed while attempting to lift it up with my hands.
For the next stretch I place my fingertips on my forehead.
8. I gently press on my forehead with my fingertips while attempting to raise my head off the bed.
Now for the last stretch.
9. I hold my arms raised a little way over my chest and firmly clench my biceps and fingers. This means my chest muscles are tightened also.
And that’s it. Easy as. All done in under 5 minutes.
I find it best to concentrate and move from one stretch to the next fairly quickly. This eliminates day-dreaming and ensures it’s all done within the 5 minute timeframe.
If I have areas in need of specific immediate attention I’ll add stretches for those.
Example
On the Camino I sometimes needed to ‘hold on’ until the next toilet or suitably screened area.
This stretch works for both boys and girls the doctors tell me. Works for me anyway.
Pull up from below, squeeze and hold. This is like holding in pee, or stopping a pee once it has started.
Regds
Gerard
Ps. You’ll note that I am not actually encouraging anyone to do these stretches, just explaining what I do. That’s because I’m afraid that someone will do these stretches after which their head, or an arm, or a leg, will fall off.
Then they would sue me for a million dollars. Cause I haven’t got a million dollars I’d have to go bush to hide from the law, and wander the outback in a loin cloth, chasing kangaroos with a spear, and eating lizards cooked over a campfire.
Don’t want that to happen, do I?
The stretching progression is designed so that I start at my toes and work my way up to my head, which makes them easy to remember and to do in sequence.
There is only nine of them, they are all easy, and take me only 15 seconds each.
While they are simple, I do them gently and carefully. If I cramp up I stop immediately, relax until I uncramp, then resume.
I hold each position while I count slowly to 15, then gently relax.
The first 4 stretches I do with my hands folded across my chest.
1. I point my toes downward firmly, to stretch the front muscles of my feet/ankles.
2. I pull my toes back upwards firmly.Then push backs of knees down to the mattress to stretch my calf muscles.
3. I clench my front thigh muscles.
4. I clench my buttocks and rise up on them.
The next 3 stretches I do with my hands linked behind my head.
5. I press my lower back into the bed and raise my shoulders a little off the bed.
6. Keeping my butt and shoulders on the bed, I gently attempt to raise my lower back off the bed just a little way.
7. I press my head back gently into the bed while attempting to lift it up with my hands.
For the next stretch I place my fingertips on my forehead.
8. I gently press on my forehead with my fingertips while attempting to raise my head off the bed.
Now for the last stretch.
9. I hold my arms raised a little way over my chest and firmly clench my biceps and fingers. This means my chest muscles are tightened also.
And that’s it. Easy as. All done in under 5 minutes.
I find it best to concentrate and move from one stretch to the next fairly quickly. This eliminates day-dreaming and ensures it’s all done within the 5 minute timeframe.
If I have areas in need of specific immediate attention I’ll add stretches for those.
Example
On the Camino I sometimes needed to ‘hold on’ until the next toilet or suitably screened area.
This stretch works for both boys and girls the doctors tell me. Works for me anyway.
Pull up from below, squeeze and hold. This is like holding in pee, or stopping a pee once it has started.
Regds
Gerard
Ps. You’ll note that I am not actually encouraging anyone to do these stretches, just explaining what I do. That’s because I’m afraid that someone will do these stretches after which their head, or an arm, or a leg, will fall off.
Then they would sue me for a million dollars. Cause I haven’t got a million dollars I’d have to go bush to hide from the law, and wander the outback in a loin cloth, chasing kangaroos with a spear, and eating lizards cooked over a campfire.
Don’t want that to happen, do I?
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