Flexibility Exercises For Visually-Impaired

The benefits of exercise towards visually-impaired

Visually-impaired people have lower level of fitness compared to their peers. This is because not much opportunity been given to them to engage into physical activity. All exercise included are reduced to give comfortable to blind and visual impairment athletes. Exercises involve all part of muscles to stretch.

What is visually-impaired?

Visually-impaired refers to any conditions that interfere with vision, including total blindness. The term includes both partially sighted and the blind. Even with correction the visual impairment will affects a child’s educational and activity of daily living performance.

What is flexibility?

Flexibility is one of the fitness components that fall under health-related fitness. It is defined as the ability of a joint/a group of joint to move through its full range of motion or ROM. Each of the joint has a specific range of motion.

What is the benefit of flexibility exercise?

The main idea of flexibility is stretching. Performing stretching exercise is to build the muscle’s elasticity. The concept of muscle can be identified as similar as the rubber band. When we pull the rubber band, it will lengthen. And when we let it go, it will remain its size.

The procedures’ of stretching exercise.

1. We need to stretch the muscle until it reaches the muscle end position (the maximum level that the muscle can be stretch).
2. Hold it for 8-10 seconds. We might feel mild discomfort during stretching the specific muscle.
3. Stretch until it reaches its end position, hold and count.
4. Let it go.

Types of stretching

There are many type of stretching exercises:

1. Static stretching
2. Dynamic stretching
3. Ballistic stretching
4. PNF stretching (poprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation).

The stretching exercise follows the FITT formula

1. Frequency – how frequent the stretching exercises should be performing? At least 3 times per week to maintain its elasticity.
2. Intensity – how hard? Depends on individual. Can perform until 10-12 stretching exercises in one session.
3. Time – how long each of the stretching exercises can be performing? At least 8-10 seconds. Overall can perform up to 10-15 minutes all the routines.
4. Type – What is the type of stretching applied? It can be static, dynamic, ballistic or PNF.

Special considerations when engaged people with visually-impaired into physical activities

1. Proper sport attire
2. Warm- up, teach them to do some warm up to all limbs.
3. Exercise must supervised by the assistance, facilitator or personal trainer.
4. In strength training for beginner, start exercise with light weight especially for visually-impaired people.
5. Inform them how to do the exercise properly regarding the proper body structure to avoid an injury occur especially lower back injury.
6. Give them feels by touching skill for them to visualize the machines and equipment also body position that demonstrated by the facilitator or assistance.
7. Make sure you provided the safety environment.
8. Enough space went do an exercise
9. Inform them what is the purpose or muscle involve for each exercise.
10. Provide them positive feedback and motivate them went do an exercises.
11. Cooling down- guide them to do some exercises for cooling down.

Why resistance band?

1. They travel well –easy to use and carry
2. They increase your body’s coordination – they help you with coordination and also help with using more muscle groups.
3. They add variety – we can use them and perform many exercises.
4. They are cheap – can be located and buy at the various exercise outlet.

1. They are great for all fitness levels, age and sex- can be used by younger to older adults, women and also children.

Stretching exercises using resistance band

Shoulder lateral raise stretch Muscle involve deltoid muscle	Band shoulder stretch Muscle involve deltoid and trapezius muscles	Shoulder stretch front Muscle involve deltoid and pectoralis muscles	Chest stretch Muscle involve pectoralis muscles

 

Trapezius stretch Muscle involve trapezius muscle	Supraspinatus stretch Muscle involve Erector spine muscle	Deltoid stretch Muscle involve posterior deltoid muscle	Wrist stretch Muscle involve branchioradialis

 

Lower chest stretch Muscle involve lower pectoralis muscle	Wrist flexion stretch Muscle involve branchioradialis muscle	Flat wrist extension Muscle involve branchioradialis muscle	Triceps push down Muscle involve triceps muscle

 

Rotary oblique stretch Muscle involve external oblique	Back front stretch Muscle invovle erector spine	Side oblique stretch Muscle involve abdomen oblique	Cobra stretch Muscle involve erector spine

 

Abdominal stretch Muscle involve abdomen	Inversion stretch Muscle involve tibilis interior	Buttock side raises stretch Muscle involve gluteus maximus	Hamstring stretch Muscle involve hamstring

 

Hamstring stretch Muscle involve hamstring	Hamstring side stretch Muscle involve hamstring	Quadricep stretch Muscle stretch quadriceps	Trunk roll Muscle involve gluteus maximus

Sitting yoga stretch Muscle involve gluteus maximus	Quadricep athletic stretch Muscle involve quadricep