Looking around most fitness clubs today, you will notice the majority of members performing strength and cardiovascular exercises, but very few stretching.
In fact, some clubs lack designated stretching areas, but flexibility is very important to your health and just like any other fitness trait, it requires work to excel at.
Poor flexibility can limit normal joint range of movement. Once this occurs your body can be forced to perform abnormal movement patterns which can place excessive force on your joints and muscles. This can lead to muscle imbalance injuries. Common problems related to poor flexibility are shoulder tendinitis, lower back pain, tension headaches, and torn muscles.
A flexible muscle, by contrast, reacts and contracts much faster and with more force than a less flexible muscle. This can improve your overall athletic performance. Also, if you stretch after the strengthening component of your workout or leisure activity, you will not be as sore the next day. So if you experience muscle soreness after you exercise or can barely walk after a day of skiing, then stretching can definitely help.
Your stretches should be performed after an initial 5-10 minute warm-up, which can be done on a stationary bike, treadmill, or you can go for a brisk walk. When stretching, hold each stretch for 15-60 seconds, applying a gradual stretch to each specific body part holding with a steady force. This form of stretching is called static stretching, it is the easiest and one of the safest methods of increasing flexibility.
Stretching can be performed effectively in only 5 to 10 minutes and can be done at home, in a gym, and even at work. So, if you are exercising and not stretching, remember that stretching can prevent injuries, improve athletic performance, reduce muscle soreness, and it is a great stress reliever.
Do not put it off any longer!
Karp Rehabilitation is an active rehabilitation program specializing with soft-tissue injury rehabilitation. For more information call 604.420.7800.