Most of us know that stretching is important to avoid injury. But flexibility has been shown to also help prevent or alleviate musculoskeletal problems. Many flexibility exercises are good for both fitness and therapeutic value. Flexibility training has been shown to improve spinal mobility and the driving ability of older adults. And it's also helped many women with dysmenorrhea. Although stretching seems easy compared to a workout, be careful: overstretching can easily lead to injury and can hamper performance.
So how do you stretch properly?
There are three kinds of stretching:
- static - the muscle is slowly stretched and then held in that stretched position for several seconds.
- active- muscles are stretched by the active contraction of the opposing (antagonist) muscle.
- ballistic - this method uses a bouncing technique that is advanced and should not be done by amateurs as it can easily lead to injury.
It is widely believed that static muscle stretching is effective in relieving muscle spasms, muscle soreness and shin splints. A trainer can show you stretches for your back, hamstrings, hips, back, shoulder, glutes, calves and chest....even your feet.
Stretching before exercise is okay if a proper warm-up is done first. Stretching after your workout is always recommended. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds at first; you can build up to doing a 30-second stretch two or three times as you become accustomed to your new routine.
Stretching is a good way to ensure you continue to have good range of motion well into your old age. And don't forget, "the shin bone's connected to the leg bone"......your thigh may be hurting because your hip is tight and needs to be stretched! It's all connected so keep your whole body flexible by regularly stretching.
If you're unsure how to stretch safely, please seek help from a professional trainer.
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