• Home health aides offer physical therapy to clients.Stretching the leg as part of a Thai body massage. image by Deborah Benbrook from Fotolia.com
  
  Home health aides incorporate physical therapy exercises into daily routines when dealing with clients and patients. To prevent injuries, muscles must move, stretch and strengthen, all of which help to reduce the degeneration of the muscles and joints. Make sure that your home health aide, or the aide caring for your family member, provides physical therapy services.
  
  

Arms and Shoulders

• With the help of a home health aide, people can stretch joints that aren't flexible.One arm stretch as part of a Thai body massage. image by Deborah Benbrook from Fotolia.com
  
  According to the Stretching Handbook, the shoulder is susceptible to injury due to lack of blood supply. Shoulder muscle tears, strains and pains are most common among the elderly because of degeneration from the aging process. Prevent injury by stretching and strengthening the shoulder and arms. Shoulders stretches, seated or standing, includes the "shoulder stretch," in which one straight arm reaches across the chest and stretches the deltoid muscle. Incorporate the trapezius (top of shoulder) stretch, by placing the inside arm straight up a wall, with enough distance to feel a stretch in the muscle. Another way to stretch the shoulders and arms is to interlace fingers behind the back, try to straighten the arms and press the palms together.
  
  

Back and Neck

• Incorporate gentle twists and stretches as well as strengthening exercises for the back and neck. To stretch and loosen the spine, the client sits tall in a sturdy and solid chair. Keep the hips straight ahead while the right arm reaches around to the back left handle of chair. Inhale and lengthen the spine, then exhale and gently continue to twist. Repeat on the other side. For stretching the back, the client lies on his stomach with legs together and stretched straight. The client places his hands next to the body beside the rib cage and presses up while pulling shoulders and shoulder blades back. Another back stretching method is the cat-cow exercise. On a hard surface, the client positions her body on all fours, knees and hands. On the inhale arch the back and look up, then exhale, round the back, and look down.
  
  

Legs and Ankles

• Stretch the leg muscles, such as hamstrings and calves, by using a long belt or rope and lying flat on the back. Stretch the legs out straight and wrap the belt around the right foot. Bring the leg straight up, until the muscle stretches and hold for 30 seconds to a minute. Drop the same leg over across the body and hold, follow with opening the leg up to the opposite side and hold. Repeat with the left leg. To stretch and strengthen the ankles, sit tall in a chair, raise the right leg slightly, and trace the alphabet with your foot, lower and upper case. Repeat with the left foot. To strengthen leg muscles, incorporate an exercise ball into routines. Place the ball against the wall, then place the back against the ball. Position the feet shoulder width apart, lean back against the ball, and slowly squat down until thighs are parallel to the ground. Hold and repeat several times.