10 Head-to-Toe Flexibility and Mobility Exercises to Do Every Day

These dynamic and static stretches are designed to help you move through workouts—and daily life—with increased confidence and stability.

When it comes to workouts, you’re probably familiar with the two main types: cardiovascular (or aerobic) exercises like walking, running, and swimming, and resistance-based exercises like strength training.  

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults of all ages engage in both on a weekly basis. 

And while following that recommendation is crucial to staving off disease, those aren’t the only exercises older adults should include in their routine. In fact, there are two other types of workouts you should be doing daily: flexibility and mobility exercises.   

Flexibility and mobility tend to go hand-in-hand, but they are two different things. Here’s a breakdown on each: 

• Flexibility, according to the International Sports Science Association (ISSA), refers to the ability for soft muscle tissue to stretch. (For example, this would describe how far you are able to extend your arms toward your toes before your hamstrings start to tighten.)  
• Mobility is a term used to describe a joint’s ability to move in its full range of motion. (Your ability to keep your hamstrings parallel to the floor during a squat is an example of hip mobility.) 

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How Flexibility and Mobility Are Linked 

If a muscle isn’t flexible, it can prevent a corresponding joint from reaching its full range of motion (or mobility). Your muscles and joints rely on each other to help execute exercises — and general daily movement — safely. 

In a study from the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, adults over age 65 who performed mobility and flexibility exercises for 12 weeks improved their overall balance and reduced their risk of falling. 

And there are therapeutic benefits, too. Research from the Journal of Physical Therapy Science noted that folks who’d previously had strokes improved their ability to perform “activities of daily living” through regular flexibility and mobility work. 

The best part: It’s easy to boost your flexibility and mobility. One way to do it is through a mix of static and dynamic stretches. Try these 10 head-to-toe moves to keep your joints and muscles working to their full potential.  

10 Head-to-Toe Mobility and Flexibility Exercises to Do Every Day 

For these exercises, you’ll need:

• A sturdy chair
• A yoga mat or towel (optional)
• Comfortable shoes and clothes

As always, safety is key. Get your doctor’s OK before beginning a new exercise program. If you have a chronic condition (including osteoporosis), balance issues, or injuries, talk to your doctor about how you can exercise safely.

1. Active Shoulder Roll Seated Stretch 

How to do it:  

1. Sit tall in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Let your arms hang at your sides.  
2. Squeeze your chest to press your shoulders forward, then raise your shoulders up toward your ears.  
3. Next, squeeze your upper back to pinch your shoulder blades together, then pull your shoulders down to finish the circle.  
4. Repeat, this time moving in the opposite direction.  
5. Do two or three slow shoulder rolls in each direction.   

2. Rounded Back Seated Stretch 

How to do it:  

1. Sit tall in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.  
2. Lean slightly forward to place your hands on your knees with arms extended.  
3. From there, press down on your knees to round your back, bringing your chin toward your chest as you do.  
4. Tuck your tailbone slightly, imagining that you’re forming the letter C with your upper body. Hold for 15 seconds, taking slow, deep breaths, and then release.  
5. Do two or three 15-second holds total. 

3. Cat Cow  

How to do it:  

1. Start on all fours with your hands below shoulders and knees below hips. You can also do this exercise while seated in a sturdy chair. 
2. Slowly round your back up toward the ceiling (like a cat) while tucking your chin toward your tailbone.    
3. Then reverse the movement by arching your back (think about a cow) while lifting your hips and head.    
4. Form tip: Focus on raising your head and tailbone to get into the cow position rather than dumping into your lower back.   
5. Alternate between cat and cow for a slow 10 reps — five with back rounded, five with back arched.  
6. Rest and repeat 2 to 3 more times. 

4. Quadruped Rotation  

How to do it: 

1. Start on all fours with your hands below your shoulders and your knees below your hips. You can also do this exercise while seated in a sturdy chair.
2. Place your right hand behind your head and then rotate your torso to point your right elbow toward the ceiling, as far as is comfortable.  
3. Pause, then slowly lower back down, pointing your right elbow to the floor. That’s 1 rep.  
4. Do 5 reps, then repeat on the other side. 

Cautionary note: If you have osteoporosis, twisting and bending moves may not be right for you. Talk to your doctor about safe exercise. 

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5. Figure-4 Seated Stretch 

How to do it: 

1. Sit tall in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.  
2. Cross one ankle over your opposite thigh, just above your knee.  
3. Gently press the knee of your raised leg down toward the floor, allowing your torso to lean forward slightly as you do.  
4. Hold there for 15 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.  
5. Do two or three 15-second holds per side. 

6. Seated Hamstring Stretch  

How to do it: 

1. Sit or stand tall, and shift your weight to your right leg.  
2. Extend your left leg in front of you with your toes up and your heel on the ground.  
3. Keep a slight bend in your right knee, and place your hands on your right thigh or your hips.  
4. From here, keep your chest lifted as you hinge forward slightly at your hips to feel a stretch in the back of your left thigh.  
5. Hold here, and then repeat on the other side. 

7. Behind-the-Back Seated Stretch 

How to do it:  

1. Sit tall in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Let both arms hang down at your sides.  
2. Keeping your shoulders back and down away from your ears, place the back of one hand on the small of your back.  
3. Hold for 15 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.  
4. Do two or three 15-second holds per side. 

8. Cross-Chest Seated Stretch 

How to do it:  

1. Sit tall in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.  
2. Cross one arm in front of your chest and place your opposite hand on your upper (crossed) arm for support.  
3. If it feels good, you can gently apply pressure to your arm to increase the stretch.  
4. Hold for 15 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.  
5. Do two or three 15-second holds per side. 

9. Overhead Triceps Seated Stretch

How to do it:  

1. Sit tall in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.  
2. Raise one arm overhead and bend your elbow to lower your palm between your shoulder blades, as far as you comfortably can.  
3. Place your opposite hand on your raised elbow for support.  
4. If it feels good, you can gently press on your elbow to increase the stretch.  
5. Hold for 15 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.  
6. Do two or three 15-second holds per side. 

10. Finger Extension Stretch 

How to do it:  

1. Sit in a chair with your forearm resting on a table, palm down.  
2. Relax the hand you’re stretching and use your other hand to straighten your fingers at all three joints, allowing your fingers to raise up off the table.  
3. Hold the stretch for a few seconds, then relax and repeat.  
4. Do 10 reps. 

Tip: Move slowly and keep your wrist straight during the exercise.  

See our sources:
Physical activity guidelines: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Difference between flexibility and mobility: International Sports Science Association
How flexibility exercises can reduce fall risk: Journal of Sports Science and Medicine
How mobility exercises make daily movement easier: The Journal of Physical Therapy Science 

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