How Stretching Prevents Injuries and Enhances Flexibility?

It’s not enough to build muscles and achieve fitness. You need to think about flexibility as well. It is where stretching can help.

You can think about stretching as something that is performed by gymnasts. But you need to stretch to protect mobility and independence. 

A lot of people don’t know that stretching needs to be done regularly. Ideally, it needs to be done daily. 

Why is stretching important?

Stretching keeps the muscles healthy and flexible. We need flexibility to maintain motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles become tight.

Then, when you use your muscles for activity, they don’t extend all the way. It puts you at risk for muscle damage, joint pain, and strains.

For example, when you sit on a chair all day, it results in tight hamstrings in the thigh back. That can make it hard to straighten your leg or your knee all the way.

Likewise, when tight muscles suddenly start with strenuous activity, it stretches them, and they get damaged.

Injured muscles are not strong enough to support the joints which can lead to joint injury.

Regular stretching keeps muscles lean, long, and flexible. It means that exertion will not put too much force on the muscle itself. Healthy muscles help a person balance problems.

Where to start?

The idea of daily stretching can be overwhelming. It is essential to focus on the body areas needed for mobility: your hamstrings, your calves, your hips, and the front part of the thighs.

Stretching your neck, shoulder, and lower back is also essential. You can do daily stretches, or at least consider doing it 3-4 times a week. 

You can even consider visiting a therapist, who can check your muscle strength and create a stretching routine for your body. 

Proper Execution 

Stretching the muscles before warming them up can hurt them. When your body is cold, the fibers are not prepared and can cause damage. 

When you exercise, your blood flows to the area that makes the tissues well-known with the changes. All it takes is warming up your muscles before stretching. 

Do it at least for 5 to 10 minutes, or take a quick walk. You can also do aerobic or weight training workouts before stretching. 

Hold a stretch for 30 seconds. Don’t bounce, otherwise it can cause injury. You will feel tense during a stretch, but if you feel pain, then stop doing it. The chances of injury or damage in the tissue will be there. 

Try a hamstring stretch

A hamstring stretch keeps your muscles flexible, the ones at the back of your thighs. Try sitting on the floor, and keep your legs in front of you. 

Take your hands towards your knees and then feet until you feel something is burning. Hold for 30 seconds, and then return to the same sitting position. 

Bring movements to your stretching

Generally, some gentle movements in tai chi, yoga, or Pilates can help you become flexible. These exercises can help reduce falls in older adults. 

Also, you can try performing a “dynamic warmup” that involves movements similar to the specific sports or physical activity. Further, you can speed up gradually and add intensity when you warm up. 

Effect of Stretching

Stretching doesn’t provide you with the perfect flexibility. You need to do it again and again to remain connected with the process. 

It must have taken a lot of effort and time to get tight muscles, so you will not gain flexibility only after a few sessions. 

It takes about weeks and months to get flexibility, and you need to continue working on it to maintain it.