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    The Importance of Stretching

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    Tushar
    Stretching is important for maintaining flexibility and mobility in the muscles and joints. Without regular stretching, muscles can shorten and tighten, putting stress on joints and increasing risks of injury. While stretching may seem daunting, physical therapist David Nolan recommends focusing on key areas like calves, hamstrings, hips, and lower back. For best results, stretches should be done daily or several times a week, warmed muscles, and stretches held for 30 seconds without bouncing. Regular stretching over time is needed to maintain flexibility.

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    The Importance of Stretching

    Uploaded by

    Tushar
    235 views2 pages
    Stretching is important for maintaining flexibility and mobility in the muscles and joints. Without regular stretching, muscles can shorten and tighten, putting stress on joints and increasing risks of injury. While stretching may seem daunting, physical therapist David Nolan recommends focusing on key areas like calves, hamstrings, hips, and lower back. For best results, stretches should be done daily or several times a week, warmed muscles, and stretches held for 30 seconds without bouncing. Regular stretching over time is needed to maintain flexibility.

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    The Importance of Stretching

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    Stretching is important for maintaining flexibility and mobility in the muscles and joints. Without regular stretching, muscles can shorten and tighten, putting stress on joints and increasing risks of injury. While stretching may seem daunting, physical therapist David Nolan recommends focusing on key areas like calves, hamstrings, hips, and lower back. For best results, stretches should be done daily or several times a week, warmed muscles, and stretches held for 30 seconds without bouncing. Regular stretching over time is needed to maintain flexibility.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    235 views2 pages

    The Importance of Stretching

    Uploaded by

    Tushar
    Stretching is important for maintaining flexibility and mobility in the muscles and joints. Without regular stretching, muscles can shorten and tighten, putting stress on joints and increasing risks of injury. While stretching may seem daunting, physical therapist David Nolan recommends focusing on key areas like calves, hamstrings, hips, and lower back. For best results, stretches should be done daily or several times a week, warmed muscles, and stretches held for 30 seconds without bouncing. Regular stretching over time is needed to maintain flexibility.

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    The Importance of Stretching

    It's not enough to build muscle and achieve aerobic fitness. You need to think about
    flexibility, too.

    You may think of stretching as something performed only by runners or gymnasts. But
    we all need to stretch in order to protect our mobility and independence. "A lot of
    people don't understand that stretching has to happen on a regular basis. It should be
    daily," says David Nolan, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts
    General Hospital.

    Why it's important

    Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility
    to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become
    tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to
    extend all the way. That puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage.

    For example, sitting in a chair all day results in tight hamstrings in the back of the thigh.
    That can make it harder to extend your leg or straighten your knee all the way, which
    inhibits walking. Likewise, when tight muscles are suddenly called on for a strenuous
    activity that stretches them, such as playing tennis, they may become damaged from
    suddenly being stretched. Injured muscles may not be strong enough to support the
    joints, which can lead to joint injury.

    Regular stretching keeps muscles long, lean, and flexible, and this means that exertion
    "won't put too much force on the muscle itself," says Nolan. Healthy muscles also help
    a person with balance problems to avoid falls.

    Where to start

    With a body full of muscles, the idea of daily stretching may seem overwhelming. But
    Nolan says you don't have to stretch every muscle you have. "The areas critical for
    mobility are in your lower extremities: your calves, your hamstrings, your hip flexors in
    the pelvis and quadriceps in the front of the thigh." Stretching your shoulders, neck,
    and lower back is also beneficial. Aim for a program of daily stretches or at least three
    or four times per week.

    Find a physical therapist (your local Y is a good place to start) who can assess your
    muscle strength and tailor a stretching program to fit your needs. If you have chronic
    conditions such as Parkinson's disease or arthritis, you'll want to clear a new stretching
    regimen with your doctor before you start.

    The cumulative effect of stretching

    Stretching once today won't magically give you perfect flexibility. You'll need to do it
    over time and remain committed to the process. "It may have taken you many months
    to get tight muscles, so you're not going to be perfectly flexible after one or two
    sessions," says physical therapist David Nolan of Massachusetts General Hospital. "It
    takes weeks to months to get flexible, and you'll have to continue Working on it to
    maintain it."
    Proper execution

    We used to believe that stretching was necessary to warm up the muscles and prepare
    them for activity. However, mounting research has shown that stretching the muscles
    before they're warmed up can actually hurt them. "When everything is cold, the fibers
    aren't prepared and may be damaged. If you exercise first, you'll get blood flow to the
    area, and that makes the tissue more pliable and amenable to change," says Nolan.
    All it takes to warm up the muscles before stretching is five to 10 minutes of light
    activity, such as a quick walk. You can also stretch after an aerobic or weight-training
    workout.

    Hold a stretch for 30 seconds. Don't bounce, which can cause injury. You'll feel tension
    during a stretch, but you should not feel pain. If you do, there may be an injury or
    damage in the tissue. Stop stretching that muscle, and talk to your doctor.

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