Stretching for seniors

Imagine how you would feel if you only dedicated 10 minutes every day to stretching….

We all know that we should do it, but how many of us actually do? A quick literature review reveals no shortage of human studies touting the benefits of regular exercise, including stretching, and this is particularly important as we age. One such study published in Clinics in Geriatric Medicine indicates that,

“Regular exercise is essential for healthy aging and offers many health benefits, including reduced risk of all-cause mortality, chronic disease, and premature death. Because physical inactivity is prevalent, greater focus is needed on integrating exercise into care plans and counseling, and developing partnerships that support exercise opportunities.” (1)

This obviously isn’t a surprise to any of us working in rehabilitation and/or chronic pain management since a fair proportion of our patient load is comprised of older pets suffering from a variety of mobility challenges (most commonly osteoarthritis, orthopedic injuries, and neurologic dysfunction). And as those areas of pain or dysfunction persist, they lead to a whole laundry list of secondary biomechanical compensations that often end up causing more discomfort in the long run than the original primary problem (stay tuned for a later blog on the development of chronic pain in pets!). Most commonly in older pets with a history of some sort of mobility impairment I can pretty reliably find discomfort in their mid-low backs, hip flexors and/or neck and shoulders. Sound familiar to anyone? Enter my new favourite tools for my super senior patients……HEAT+MASSAGE+STRETCHING!

What do we know about the effectiveness of stretching in pets? Unfortunately not as much as we do in their human counterparts, but as with most things in rehabilitation, we can probably extrapolate a thing or two as a starting point. I know first hand how stretching has impacted my propensity for developing pain and injury, which made me ponder why I wasn’t prescribing a similar routine for my patients. So over the last 6 months or so I have made a concerted effort to get as many of my senior patients as possible on a regular stretching routine once a day, regardless of their injury or area of dysfunction. And I have to say that the results have been pretty impressive in helping to relieve muscle tension, increase flexibility and even improve sleep.

Do I have a rolodex of data to back up these claims….nope. Does it matter? Not really (data is lacking in virtually every aspect of rehabilitation medicine). If implementing a simple stretching program creates a positive impact on my geriatric patients’ mobility and introduces an opportunity to nurture an owner’s bond with their senior pet then I am all for it. Keys to success with implementing a stretching program really rely on the pet being warmed up and relaxed prior to stretching, which is where heat (or thermotherapy if you want to get technical) can be extremely beneficial, both for its ability to relax the muscles but also to relax the entire body. I haven’t met many senior pets that don’t melt into a warm oat bag, and 10-15 minutes is generally all you need to induce muscle and overall relaxation. If your pet isn’t so keen on heat you can also warm up their muscles with a brief walk before massage or stretching.

There are about as many techniques for massage and stretching as there are dog breeds, from gentle kneading to deep tissue massage and from passive static stretching to dynamic active stretching. Who, what, where, when, why and how will really depend on where your pet’s restrictions lie and how chronic their dysfunction is. As with most things in medicine, it is always best to discuss any new exercise or stretching program with your veterinarian or a certified rehabilitation practitioner (insert shameless plug here). The field of rehabilitation is growing at an exponential rate and we are always happy to work with sweet senior patients and their owners to help them live their best senior lives.

Stretching itself may not resolve your senior pet’s primary biomechanical dysfunction however by relieving some of their secondary compensatory myofascial strain, we can improve their comfort and flexibility thereby improving their overall mobility and quality of life.

(1) Mora JC, Valencia WM. Exercise and Older Adults. Clin Geriatr Med. 2018 Feb;34(1):145-162. doi: 10.1016/j.cger.2017.08.007. Epub 2017 Oct 10. PMID: 29129214.