Stretching should not cause pain or serious fatigue. You may feel some discomfort that goes away when tension is released, but there should be no pain.
Some basic guidelines for exercises for seniors follow:
Start slowly. Chances are it’s taken years for you to get this stiff. It’s not going to be fixed in a day.
Drink plenty of fluids, unless your doctor has advised you against this.
Don’t hold your breath during stretching. Relaxed breathing actually helps your muscles relax.
Always be aware of the position of your spine. Any extremes in curvature can make you vulnerable to injury.
Warm your muscles briefly prior to stretching by taking a short walk or using some light dumbbells.
More guidelines:
Warm up briefly prior to stretching and avoid bouncing or ballistic stretching.
Hold each stretch for 60 seconds for maximum benefit.
Breath deeply and relaxed as you lean into a stretch.
Avoid pain.
Be aware of spinal posture.
Yoga can help. Among a group of 16 community dwelling female seniors, three 70 minute sessions of yoga over a course of four weeks resulted in decreased body fat percentage, decreased systolic blood pressure, improved balance,improved shoulder range of motion, and reduced incidence of sleep disturbance.
A study published in the Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine in 2006 looked at the effects of yoga on 135 healthy individuals between the age of 65 and 85). Results showed significant improvement in quality of life measures and physical measures. Physical measures were forward bend flexibility, a timed single leg stand to assess balance, and a chair sit and reach test for flexibility.