Does Stretching Have Cognitive Benefits?

I often hear patients to our clinic remark that they feel they should or would like to stretch more. They intuitively know it's good for them, but often we struggle to find the time, or if we aren't in pain we give it a miss. At OsteoPoint we try to find suitable stretches for our patients that work more than one area of the body and can be done whilst also watching TV  - maximum efficiency!

A recent study gives us another motivation to stretch. Laura Baker, professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University (USA) presented her finding to the US Alzheimer's Association International conference in August. The study involved 257 people aged 65-89 years, with minor cognitive impairment, who were asked to perform either two sessions per week of 30-40 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise (treadmill/stationary bike) or to do a stretching and balance routine for the same amount of time.

Results: 1 year later there was no deterioration in cognitive function in either activity group, however, there was a decline in the control group who performed no exercise.

So, if going for a run is too much after a long day at work, stretching and balancing exercises can be just as beneficial for our brain....as well as our backs!