Improving flexibility for my daughter and me

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My daughter cannot bend at her waist, keep her legs straight, and touch her toes.

I learned that a couple of weeks ago when she had her annual doctor checkup. The doctor asked her to bend over as far as possible to touch her toes so the doctor could check my daughter's spine. My child's hands were about even with her knees.

"Bend a little more," the doctor said.

"That's as far as I can go," my daughter answered.

"That's all you can do?" the doctor responded, sounding a little amused. "Don't you take gymnastics?"

"She just started gymnastics," I jumped in, "just this year."

"Ohhhh," the doctor said, "OK."

The doctor moved on and never said another word about it. But still, ever since then, I've had a nagging voice in my head telling me that perhaps I should be encouraging my child to stretch every day.

An article on the Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School website states, "Activities that lengthen and stretch muscles can help you prevent injuries, back pain, and balance problems." That definitely sounds like we both could benefit: It could help her avoid injuries, especially as she becomes more involved in after-school activities, and me because, we'll, I'm north of age 45 now.

So now I'm on the lookout for stretching exercises appropriate for both of us. When I find something, I want to do them with her daily. Maybe next year when it comes time for the doctor to check my girl's spine, hopefully she'll be able to reach her toes.