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Stretching
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.
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 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?
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