Stretching is something you can easily do anytime,
anywhere — in your home, your office, or even when
you're traveling. Aim to stretch at least three times a
week. If you can't get a full workout in, you can still
benefit from stretching at least that often.
Many
experts believe that stretching may also reduce your
risk of injury in sports. "The more prepared your
muscles and joints are for an activity, the more
protected you are against injury," says Edward Laskowski,
M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist
and co-director of the Sports Medicine Center at Mayo
Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dr. Laskowski explains, "If
your joints are not able to go through their full range
of motion because of muscle tightness, sports and
exercise activities may put an excessive load on the
tissue and contribute to injury.”
The
many benefits of stretching include:
Increased flexibility and better range of motion of your
joints
- Flexible muscles can improve your daily performance.
Tasks such as lifting packages, bending to tie your
shoes or hurrying to catch a bus become easier and less
tiring. Flexibility tends to diminish as you get older,
but you can regain and maintain it.
Improved circulation
- Stretching increases blood flow to your muscles. Blood
flowing to your muscles brings nourishment and gets rid
of waste byproducts in the muscle tissue. Improved
circulation can help shorten your recovery time if
you've had any muscle injuries.
Better posture
- Frequent stretching can help keep your muscles from
getting tight, allowing you to maintain proper posture.
Good posture can minimize discomfort and keep aches and
pains at a minimum.
Stress relief
- Stretching relaxes tight, tense muscles that often
accompany stress. Maintaining the full range of motion
through your joints keeps you in better balance.
Coordination and balance will help keep you mobile and
less prone to injury from falls, especially as you get
older.
Basic
stretches to improve your flexibility focus on your
body's major muscle groups: calf, thigh, hip, lower
back, neck and shoulder.
Warm
up first. Stretching muscles when they're cold increases
your risk of pulled muscles. Warm up by walking while
gently pumping your arms, or do a favorite exercise at
low intensity for five minutes.
Hold
each stretch for at least 30 seconds. It takes time to
lengthen tissues safely. Hold your stretches for at
least 30 seconds — and up to 60 seconds for a really
tight muscle or problem area. That can seem like a long
time, so wear a watch or keep an eye on the clock to
make sure you're holding your stretches long enough. For
most of your muscle groups, if you hold the stretches
for at least 30 seconds, you'll need to do each stretch
only once.
Don't
bounce. Bouncing as you stretch can cause small tears in
the muscle, which leave scar tissue as the muscle heals.
The scar tissue tightens the muscle even further, making
you even less flexible — and more prone to pain.
Focus
on a pain-free stretch. If you feel pain as you stretch,
you've gone too far. Back off to the point where you
don't feel any pain, then hold the stretch. Relax and
breathe freely. Don't hold your breath while you're
stretching. Stretch both sides. Make sure your joint
range of motion is as equal as possible on each side of
your body.
Stretch before and after. Light stretching after your
warm-up followed by a more thorough stretching regimen
after your workout is your best bet. In addition to
stretching major muscle groups, stretch muscles and
joints that you routinely use at work or play.
Sport-specific stretching prepares your muscles for a
particular sport or activity. For example, if you
frequently play tennis or golf, working in a few extra
shoulder stretches loosens the muscles around your
shoulder joint, making it feel less tight and more ready
for action.
Stretch when you exercise or three times a week to
maintain flexibility "Stretch as often as you exercise,"
Dr. Laskowski recommends. "Most experts recommend a
cool-down period anyway after exercise. Going into your
stretches after your workout is a good way to cool
down.
Why
not make stretching a family fun time with the kids as
part of your family’s daily wellness program?
As always, we are at your service,
The Wholefood Farmacy Team
