Not because I wanted them to — but because my body was quietly saying enough.

Arthritis had crept into places I didn’t even know had names. My back, shoulder, hip and knee complained daily.

Simple things — like walking without my left foot scraping the ground, getting in and out of the car, or going for a walk with friends — began to feel almost impossible.

I tried to be sensible about it. I slowed down. I adapted. I told myself this was just part of getting older.

But I was struggling to do the things I loved. Travelling, sailing, bushwalking, even gardening became too painful.

Quietly, I began to wonder what life would look like if I could no longer enjoy the things that made it feel worth living.

My doctor referred me to a free Exercise Treatment Program here in Australia.

I was given a simple set of stretching exercises. Nothing dramatic. No fancy equipment. No gym membership.

I nearly ignored them. I truly didn’t believe they could make any difference.

10 minutes a day changed everything

I began doing the stretches every morning after my shower. I’ve found the hot water helps ease the usual aches and pains and makes movement feel a little easier.

Within two weeks, I could walk without my foot dragging along the ground.

Three weeks later, I took friends on an easy bush walk on Flinders Island.

That felt like a small miracle.

A gentle reminder

Before I share the exercises themselves, there are a few gentle things worth saying.

I’m not a medical professional, and this isn’t medical advice. These are simply the stretches that helped me.

We’re all different, and our bodies carry their own stories. If you have injuries, health conditions, or concerns, it’s always wise to check with a trusted health professional before trying something new.

Before you begin

If, like me, you wake up feeling a little stiff and sore, a warm shower can help loosen things up before you start.

These exercises aren’t about fitness, speed, or how many you can do. They’re about gently waking muscles up and reminding them how to move again.

I never push through pain. If something hurts, I stop. Some days I do less — and that’s perfectly fine.

A few things I’ve learned

• Start slowly and stay within what feels comfortable
• I never do more than five of anything
• If something feels uncomfortable, I leave it for a day or two and try again later
• You may be surprised how quickly your body remembers movements it once knew

This isn’t a competition. It’s a quiet conversation with your body.

A simple warm-up

Before beginning, I do a few gentle movements:

• Swing your arms loosely by your sides
• Hold your elbows and gently pull them across your body to stretch your spine
• Stand with your legs apart, toes pointing forward
• Bend forward until you feel a stretch through the backs of your thighs – If you don’t feel much, gently push your bottom away from your centre of gravity
• Stretch first to the left, then to the right, noticing the muscles inside your thighs working

Floor exercises

Once I’ve done the standing stretches, I move onto the floor.

On hands and knees

Come down onto the floor on your hands and knees — what I call “doggy style”.

• Gently curve your back upwards, tucking your chin towards your chest
• Then slowly curve your back down again
• Move between the two a few times, at your own pace

Next, with one leg:

• Tuck your knee in towards your tummy
• Then lift your leg backwards and upwards as far as feels comfortable
• Point your toes
• I never do more than five

Repeat the same movement, but this time pull your toes gently back towards your body.

You may be surprised how different the stretch feels — it wakes up different muscles.

Repeat both versions with the other leg.

Lying on your side

Lie on the floor on one side, keeping your neck straight and relaxed.

• Lift your top leg with your toes pointed
• Then lift it again with your toes pulled gently inwards
• Move slowly and stop if anything feels uncomfortable

Roll over and repeat on the other side.

Lying on your back

Lie on your back with your arms by your sides, palms facing the floor.

• Gently press your fingers downwards, almost as if you’re counting

This small movement has actually helped ease the pain in my hands.

Now bend both knees and lift your feet up towards your body.

• First with your toes pointed
• Then again with your toes pulled back towards you

Straighten your legs and lift them upwards as far as feels comfortable.

• Once with pointed toes
• And again with toes pulled back towards you

Finally:

• Gently lift your pelvis and roll it back down a few times
• If you’re able to, lift your bottom up and hold it for a few moments
• Lower slowly

I move slowly, breathe normally, and stop well before pain.

Some days I do more, some days less — and both are fine.

The aim isn’t strength or fitness. It’s gentle movement, awakening muscles, and reminding my body that it still knows how to move.

More exercises – once you notice a difference

Once I began to notice the difference the first exercises were making to my everyday life, I was encouraged to add a little more.

I’m currently on the waiting list for a total knee reconstruction — my left knee is, quite literally, bone on bone.

Here in Australia, there’s a program designed to support people while they wait for this kind of surgery. Through it, I saw a physiotherapist who specialises in both pre and post operative care.

The aim is simple but powerful: to gently reawaken muscle memory. Doing this beforehand can make a significant difference to recovery afterwards.

When I showed him the stretches I was already doing, he smiled and said I was doing far more than most people manage in the free twice-weekly classes offered through the program.

Rather than changing what I was doing, he suggested a few additional stretching exercises to gently tweak my routine.

As a result, my daily movement time has slowly increased to around fifteen minutes a day — still manageable, still gentle, and still something I look forward to.

Extra Gentle Strength & Stability Exercises

These are a few additional exercises my physiotherapist suggested to tweak and support the work I was already doing.
As with all of these movements, nothing should hurt. Move slowly, breathe, and stop if something doesn’t feel right for your body.

Pelvic Lift (Level 1)

Lie on your back with your lower legs supported on something stable.
A gym ball apparently works well, but I don’t have one — I use a sturdy, low coffee table instead.

• Arms relaxed out to the sides for balance
• Gently lift your hips off the floor, pushing them towards the ceiling
• Slowly lower back down to the starting position

Keep the movement smooth and controlled.
Avoid arching your lower back — think lengthening rather than lifting high.

Hip Abductors (Level 1)

Stand tall with a light resistance band around your outer leg.

• Keeping your torso upright, move the banded leg straight out to the side
• Stretch the band as far as is comfortable
• Return slowly to the starting position

Stay balanced on your standing leg.
Try not to lean forward, sideways, or twist your body.
Be mindful not to over-extend the leg you are standing on.

Knee Flexors – Seated (Level 1)

Sit on a chair with your feet parallel and about shoulder-width apart.

Place a light resistance band around one foot.

• Bend and straighten your knee against the resistance of the band
• Keep the movement slow and controlled

Sitting closer to the front edge of the chair allows a fuller, more comfortable range of movement.

You can make this harder later by using a stronger band, but lighter is perfectly fine to start.

Knee Flexors with Band (Variation A)

Sit upright with one foot placed in the centre of a resistance band.
Hold one end of the band in each hand.

• Bend and straighten your knee against the resistance
• Keep your hands still — let the leg do the work

Again, resistance can be increased over time if you wish, but it’s not essential.

Sit-to-Stand (Chair Exercise)

Start seated on a chair, feet parallel and shoulder-width apart.

• Place equal weight through both legs
• Stand up slowly, keeping hips, knees and ankles aligned
• Lower yourself back down with control — don’t “plonk” into the chair

Once this feels comfortable without using the arms of the chair, you can progress:

• Place one foot slightly in front of the other
• Stand and sit again, focusing on the back leg doing most of the work

Remember to do both sides.

Standing Knee Bend with Resistance

Stand with a resistance band secured so you can pull your leg backwards against it.

• Bend your knee against the resistance
• Keep your upper body upright and steady

Heavier resistance bands are available, but I only had heavy-duty ones and found them quite manageable. Use what you have — it’s enough.

Step Ups (Level 1)

Use a low step board or a household step (that’s what I do).

• Step up with one foot
• Use light hand support if needed for balance
• Step back down to the starting position

Repeat using the other foot.

Throughout the movement, pay attention to the alignment of your hip, knee and ankle.

Walking Exercises

Stand in front of a mirror where you can clearly see your whole body.

• Walk forwards slowly
• Then walk backwards just as slowly

As you move, pay attention to the alignment of your hips, knees and ankles.
This isn’t about speed or distance — it’s about reminding your body how walking is meant to feel.

Use the mirror simply as a guide, not something to judge yourself by.

Gentle Stretches

Stretching the major muscle groups of the legs helps maintain flexibility and ease of movement.

• Hold each stretch for around 20 seconds
• Breathe normally — never bounce or force a stretch

For added confidence and balance, stand near a wall, chair or bench and use it for support if needed.

As always, keep an eye on the alignment of your hips, knees and ankles and stop if anything feels uncomfortable.

Remember to listen to YOUR body

Only do what feels comfortable to you.
Little steps is how I got my life back.

Investing ten minutes EVERY SINGLE DAY is all it took.

If you get bored when doing exercises –

Listen to my Travel With Us A While Podcast – where I have concversations with travellers by land, sea, air and beyond!

Download a copy of these daily stretching exercises here