ABSTRACT

The Effect of Stretching Exercise to Muscle and Joint Flexibility to the Elderly in Selat Village,
Abiansemal District, Badung Regency

A good flexibility is affected by the muscle’s elasticity in giving a wider range of joint movement.
Aging will give a physical deterioration in the form of mucles mass and flexibility decrease. One of
the exercise that can be used to increase flexibility is stretching exercise. Stretching exercise is a
muscle stretching activity to increase muscle flexibility and joint movement range. This research is
aimed to explore the effect of stretching exercise to muscle and joint flexibility to the elderly in Selat
Village, Abiansemal District, Badung Regency. This research is quasi experiment research with
prestest-posttest control group design research design. The sample are 24 elderlies which is
collected throufh purposive sampling. Stretching exercise is given 3 times a week for 2 weeks. The
method for measuring muscle and joint flexibility of the elderlies is by using sit and reach test
equipment. The result shows that there is a different muscle and joint flexibility differences between
the treatment and control group (p=0,000, p<0,05). It shows that the joint and muscle flexibility of
the elderly in treatment group experience an increasement compared to the control group. This
research recommends the elderly program organizer in Selat Village, Abiansemal District, Badung
Regency to add stretching exercise in the Posyandu Elderly Program, because this researy us effectit
to increase muscle and join flexibility

Key word: Muscle and Join Flexibility, Elderly, Stretching Exercise