 |
Tension/relaxation exercises
Tensing the muscles and then relaxing them can help maintain and develop muscle tone for people who cannot be active. Leg exercises can help with walking and balance, with hand and arm exercises helping with co-ordination, upper body strength and mobility. They can also help with relaxation because they increase the blood supply to the muscles, and help the muscles to relax completely afterwards.
These exercises are easy to do and should be done for a short time each day, then slowly increased to help build up strength in the muscles.
The exercises are best done sitting in a comfy chair but can be done whilst lying down.
| Start by shrugging the shoulder muscles as if you are trying to touch your ears with your shoulders - count to 2 for each tension, then to 2 while you relax. Do this 5 times. |
|
| Now push your shoulders downwards also using your chest muscles to help - as if you are trying to push yourself down into your seat. Count to 2 for each tension, then to 2 while you relax. |
|
| Now clench your fists and try to tighten all the muscles in your arms. You will feel your upper arms, forearm and hand muscles tighten. Count to 2, then relax for 2. Do this 5 times. |
|
| Next tense the abdominal muscles by pushing the walls of your tummy out. Your tummy should feel harder when you do this because the muscles are tightening. Sometimes it almost impossible not to clench your bottom muscles as well when you do this. Count to 2 for each tension, then 2 for each relaxation. Do this 5 times. |
|
| Now clench your bottom muscles (as if you are trying to stop yourself using the toilet!). Each time you clench your muscles, your bottom should feel like it is starting to rise off the chair - you might also feel your tummy muscle harden as well. Again count to 2 for each tension, then relaxation. Do this 5 times. |
|
| Now you are going to clench your thigh muscles. These are very important muscle to help with walking and movement. Tighten the muscles around your thighs, front and back of the leg. Again count to 2 for each tension, then relaxation. Do this 5 times. Each time you do it properly, your feet should feel like they are starting to rise off the floor. |
|
| While sitting with your feet on the floor, pull your toes up off the floor and try to point them upwards, while keeping your heels still on the ground. You should feel your calf muscles and even the lower part of your thigh muscles tense when you do this. Count for 2 for each tension and relaxation and do this 5 times. |
|
| Finally, keeping your toes on the floor, lift your heels up as if you are sitting on tip-toe. Clench your calf muscles as you do this. Count to 2 for each tension, relaxation and do this 5 times. |
|
Follow this routine for the first 2 weeks, doing the exercises every day if
possible.
Start with using gentle tensions until your muscles get used to being worked.
As the 2 weeks progresses, start to make more effort in tensing the muscles.
Don’t cheat – the harder you try to tense your muscles, the stronger they
will get.
After 2 weeks, try doing them twice a day. Later on you can do more
repetitions, for example, 10 instead of 5.
If any of the exercises are painful, then stop doing them for a few days, slowly introducing it back into the routine.
Jane Ellwood January 2004