Staying active throughout one's life is always important to maintaining a happy and healthy lifestyle. Many studies show that exercise is essential to aging well and has profound health benefits for older adults.
Additionally, maintaining mobility is vital for older adults, not just to reduce the risk of physical pain but also to aid in preventing falls and injuries. Falls can seriously impede independence and lower the quality of life.
Luckily there are various ways to stay active including walking, swimming, light aerobic exercises and Kinstretch, which will be our focus in this article.
Kinstretch for Healthy Joints
“Kinstretch” is a type of exercise for joint health that incorporates movements called CARS. CARS is an acronym that stands for controlled, articular rotations. These exercises are designed to increase joint function, mobility, and lubrication. While passive stretching is vital for overall musculoskeletal health, Kinstretch routines incorporating CARS specifically target joint health. Focusing on healthy joints becomes increasingly essential for maintaining mobility and pain-free living as individuals age.
There are many different types of kinstretch routines and many different types of exercises that target specific areas of the body. CARS for hip mobility and shoulder mobility are particularly prominent. However, there are CAR exercises for every joint from one's wrists to ankles, fingers and neck.
Every CAR exercise begins with something called irradiation. Irradiation essentially brings tension into the particular joint and surrounding muscles targeted by that exercise. This ensures that the surrounding area is not compensating for the lack of movement in that joint. Irradiation allows one to isolate and target a particular range of motion.
Conditions that are degenerative to the musculoskeletal system increase and worsen with age. Taking preventative measures to strengthen and lubricate joints can go a long way to preventing and improving the symptoms of these conditions.
Kinstretch Classes
One of the most popular online platforms for kinstretch training classes is called Kinstretch with Beard. According to this platform’s website, kinstretch is defined as a movement enhancement system that develops maximum body control, flexibility, and usable ranges of motion. It’s part of a more extensive system developed by a chiropractor called Functional Range Systems.
Kinstretch is high-level mobility training that strengthens joints, connective tissue, and end-range muscle. There are classes for every joint: Hips, Shoulders, Scapula, Knees, Spine (Neck/Thoracic/Lumbar), Ankles, Wrists, Elbows, Toes, Fingers, Pelvis, Jaw (TMJ).
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