Your Body's Wisdom

The Importance of Stretching

You know the importance of stretching when you are getting ready to exercise or do some strenuous physical labor; however, how many of us actually think of stretching as something that should be a part of your daily routine?  “I never stretch, I don’t have enough time or I can’t be bothered lying around all over the floor stretching, when I have a busy day ahead of me or I know that I am not as flexible as I used to be so how will stretching help me now?”  Sound familiar to you?

Often the most effective things you can do for yourself, your health and your well-being are the simplest and most natural.  Stretching is one of those things that you can do to help yourself.  If you lived in an ideal world, you would probably be stretching throughout the day.  You do it automatically when you wake up in the morning or have been sitting too long. It just feels good!   But all too often you are too “busy” to take the time to stretch.  Stretching can be an integral part of your life, whether you are an avid athlete, weekend warrior or stuck in a small cubicle all day at work.

As you know, you are born with fantastic range of movement when it comes to flexibility.   Think of a small baby that is able to suck its toes.  So what happened?  As you age, your muscles and your range of motion in your joints can be minimized.  This can put a damper on any day-to-day activities or a very active lifestyle.

So, what are the benefits of stretching?

1. Increased flexibility and better range of motion of your joints.  Flexible muscles can improve your daily performance.  Good flexibility is known to bring positive benefits to the muscles and joints.  It aids with injury prevention, helps to minimize muscle soreness, and improves efficiency in all physical activities.  A regular stretching program can help lengthen your muscles and make daily activities easier and more enjoyable.
2. 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.
3. Better posture. Chronically tense and tight muscles contribute to poor posture, which in turn can affect the functioning of our internal organs, not to mention our appearance.    Good posture can minimize discomfort and help keep aches and pains at a minimum.
4. Relaxation and stress relief. Stretching relaxes tight, tense muscles that often accompany stress.  The feeling of relaxation brings a sense of well-being and relief from tension.
5. Prevent injury. Preparing your muscles and joints for activity can protect you from injury, especially if you have tight muscles or joints.

Now that you know the importance of stretching, here are some stretching essentials.  They are:

1. Warm up first.   Stretching your muscles when they are cold will increase your risk of injury.  Warm up by doing your favorite exercise at low intensity for five minutes.
2. Target major muscles groups. Focus on your calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck and shoulders when you are stretching.  Also make sure that you stretch the muscles and joints that you routinely use at work or play.
3. Hold each of your stretches for at least 30 seconds. It takes time to lengthen tissues safely.  The stretches you are doing should be held for at least 30 seconds and up to 60 seconds for really tight muscles or problem areas.
4. Make sure that you stretch both sides. Joint range of motion needs to be as equal as possible on both sides of your body.
5. Don’t bounce. Bouncing as you stretch can cause small tears in your muscle, which can leave scar tissue as the muscle heals.  This scar tissue tightens the muscle even further, making you even less flexible and more prone to pain.
6. Focus on a pain-free stretch. You will feel some tension when you stretch.  However, if it hurts, then you have gone too far.  Back off to the point where you don’t feel any pain, then hold the stretch.
7. Relax and breathe freely. Don’t hold your breath as you are stretching.  Taking deep breaths can facilitate the stretch.
8. Stretch before and after. Light stretching before you start an activity followed by a more thorough stretching regimen after your workout is your best bet.

How often you stretch is up to you.  However, it is recommended that you could stretch as often as you exercise.  If you don’t exercise regularly you might want to stretch at least three times a week to maintain your flexibility.

If you spend a lot of time at a desk, it is vital that you take a few minutes each hour to get up and walk around, stretch your hands and forearms—move around so that your muscles have a chance to lengthen and not in a contracted state all day long.

No gym required.  Stretching is something you can easily do anytime, anywhere—in your home, at work or when you are traveling.  Aim to stretch 3 times a week.  If you can’t get a full workout in, you can still benefit from stretching at least that often.

If you are interested in specific stretches for specific muscle groups or a specific activity, please don’t hesitate to ask me, I have some books that can help with different stretches.

So take a moment now and tune into your body.  Chances are your body is begging to be stretched.

 Stretching is not advised if you have certain types of injuries.  Don’t stretch strained muscles unless you are under a therapist’s direction—you could cause further harm.  If you have an injury or have a chronic condition, you may need to alter your approach to stretching.  Talk with your doctor or physical therapist.