• Each exercise should be done at least 3 times.
• Do this routine once a day.
  

		Gastrocnemius (calf) Lean against a wall with your back leg straight and your front leg slightly bent.  Keep your back heel on the floor and lean progressively closer to the wall until you can feel the stretch in your calf.  Repeat with other leg.
		Soleus (calf) Lean against a wall with both your back leg and your front leg slightly bent.  Keep your back heel on the floor and lean progressively closer to the wall until you can feel the stretch in your calf.  Repeat with other leg.
		Quadriceps (front of thigh) Lying on your side, reach back and grab your upper foot and pull it up toward your buttocks.  Repeat with other leg while on your other side.  Keep your knees together.
		Hamstrings (back of thigh) Sitting, bring the sole of your bent leg to the inner thigh of your straight leg.  Lean forward and grasp the ankle of your straight leg with both hands.  Keeping the leg straight, pull your upper body down towards your feet.
		Hip Flexors (front of hip) Move your hip forward, keeping the upper body straight up and the back leg stretched out.  Feel the tightening in the hip and hold the position.  The stretch can be accentuated by putting the back knee on the ground.  Keep the front knee directly above the foot.  Don't keep the front knee at such an angle that it is in front of the ankle, since this hinders the real stretch in the hip.
		Gluteals and Hip Sitting, bend one leg and cross it over the other leg which is either straight or lying on its side bent at 90 degrees.  Push the opposite elbow against your bent knee and force buttocks to table.
		Gluteus Maximus (buttocks) Lying on your back with both knees bent, cross the left leg over the right.  Using both hands pull your right knee toward your chest.  You should feel a stretch in the buttocks on your left side.  Repeat on opposite side.
		Hip Adductors (groin) Sitting, bend both legs and put the soles of your feet together.  Grab your feet with both hands.  With your elbows, push out against the insides of your knees.
		Erector Spinae (low back) Bring both knees to the chest by first raising one and then holding the knee with both hands.  Then raise the other knee.  Grasping both knees, pull them down to the chest.  Relax.
		Spinal Extension (prone press-ups) Lie on stomach with palms by shoulders up while keeping pelvis on the surface; back and stomach sagging.  Slowly lower shoulders.  Repeat 10 times, sustaining the up position for several seconds during the last few repetitions.
		Supraspinatus (superior shoulder) Place involved hand behind your back and grasp hand with other hand.  Pull diagonally down and across back.  Tilt head toward the uninvolved shoulder.  You should feel the stretch across the top and front of your shoulder.
		Rotator Cuff (internal rotation) Place a towel in both hands.  Position your involved arm behind your back at waist height and your uninvolved arm up and overhead.  Slowly pull the towel upward.  You should feel the stretch in the front and back of your shoulder.
		Triceps and Teres Major (shoulder girdle) Raise one arm up and behind your head.  With the opposite arm grasp your elbow and pull the arm further behind your head.
		Infraspinatus and Teres Minor (shoulder rotator cuff) Lying on your back or sitting, reach arm across chest toward opposite shoulder as far as possible.  With opposite hand, grasp the elbow and pull the arm across even further.  Externally rotating the arm during this stretch emphasizes the teres minor.
		Pectoralis Major (chest) Stand with your forearms against the wall in a corner of the room.  Gently lean forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your shoulder and chest.  This can be done one arm at a time by placing one forearm up against a wall and turning your chest away from the wall until you feel a stretch.
		Shoulder and Neck (tension relievers) Roll shoulders slowly backward.  Do it 4 times.

The Benefits of Stretching:

Stretching has so many benefits.  Just start a program of stretching, and you’ll soon notice many of them.  Some of the benefits of stretching are–

• relief from pain
• increased energy levels
• increased flexibility
• better range of motion of the joints
• greater circulation of blood to various parts of the body
• relaxation and stress relief
• enhanced muscular coordination
• improved posture
• greater sense of well-being

Increased flexibility and range of motion.

As we age, our muscles tighten and we have less range of motion in our joints. Simple activities that we once took for granted, like cutting our toenails, picking things up from the floor or zipping a dress, can all become difficult. A regular stretching program can help lengthen your muscles and make these daily activities easier and more enjoyable.

Improved circulation.

Stretching improves circulation of blood to the muscles and joints. Increased blood circulation, of course, brings nutrients to our cells and removes waste byproducts.

Better posture.

Chronically tense and tight muscles contribute to poor posture, which in turn can affect the functioning of our internal organs, not to mention our appearance. Stretching the muscles of the lower back, shoulders and chest can help keep the back in better alignment and improve posture.

Relaxation and stress relief.

Stretching, done properly, helps to relax tense muscles which result from stress. The feeling of relaxation brings a sense of well-being and relief from tension.

Reduce or prevent lower back pain.

Greater flexibility and range of motion in the hamstrings and muscles of the hips and pelvis help to reduce the stress on your spine that causes lower back pain.