Cool-down stretches
How to cool down after exercising.
Stretching after exercise helps your body gradually cool down. It may also help to improve flexibility and reduce feelings of stiffness and soreness.
On this page, you’ll find information about cool-down stretches and a video showing you how to do them.
How can I stretch safely?
Most people with osteoporosis can stretch and exercise safely. Choose stretches that feel right for you. Move in a slow, controlled way and only stretch as far as feels safe and comfortable.
Before you start, read our information about exercising safely with osteoporosis and broken bones (fractures).
Talk to your doctor or physiotherapist before starting any exercise if you:
have a history of multiple broken bones or spinal fractures
are recovering from a broken bone
have any questions or concerns about your own personal situation.
They can tell you about the stretches that are safe and suitable for you.
How should a cool-down feel?
As you cool down, you should start to feel cooler. Your heart rate gradually slows down and your breathing returns to normal.
How long should I cool down for?
You can choose how long you cool down for. Some people cool down for about five minutes, but everyone is different. If your muscles still feel tight, try to cool down for longer.
What stretches can I do to cool down after exercise?
These are some examples of stretches you can do to cool down and stretch the muscles in different parts of your body:
Hamstring stretch for the back of your thighs.
Calf stretch for the back of your lower legs.
Triceps stretch for your shoulders and upper arms.
Side bend to stretch the side of your body - keep the movement small and controlled.
Chest stretch for the front of your chest.
We show you how to do these different stretches in our ‘Cool-down stretches’ video below.
All the cool-down stretches can be done standing up or sitting down. It’s best to use an armless chair if you choose to do the stretches sitting down. A chair or table may also be helpful to hold on to if you feel unsteady when standing.
It can also help to stretch the muscles you’ve used during exercise. For example, if you’ve done a lot of leg exercises, you could do more leg stretches.
Watch: Cool-down stretches video
In this video, exercise instructor Sandra shows you how to do different stretches.
This video is for people with different levels of experience. This includes people with osteoporosis or who have broken bones before. Remember to follow any advice you’ve been given from a healthcare professional about what is safe and suitable for you.
The video is 4 minutes long and includes 4 cool-down stretches.
It is important to warm up when you start exercise. Take a look at our warm-up exercises.
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