Stretching for Better Health (Fall 2000)
Daily stretching is an essential part of achieving and maintaining flexibility. Flexibility promotes the ability of the muscles and joints to move throughout the full range of motion, which is the basis for optimal function.
The following are some answers to commonly asked questions about stretching and flexibility.
Why should I stretch?
Stretching is often overlooked or omitted due to time constraints, but the importance of flexibility cannot be over-emphasized. A simple stretching program can be easily incorporated into your daily routine and has the following benefits:
- enhanced physical fitness
- reduced risk of injury to joints, muscles, and tendons
- enhanced body awareness and ability to learn/perform skilled movement
- increased mental and physical relaxation
- reduced muscular soreness and tension
- reduced severity of painful menstruation in females.
When should I stretch?
Stretching is not warming up, but it is a very important part of warming up. Warming up is the process of raising your core body temperature and should be done just prior to stretching. In general, it is not a good idea to attempt to stretch before your muscles are warm. An example would be to walk for 5 minutes at a slow to moderate pace before stretching the legs. It is also beneficial to stretch after exercise to reduce muscle fatigue and soreness.
Finally, some older adults find it beneficial to perform some light stretches to loosen up even before getting out of bed. This is beneficial for stiff joints as well as tight muscles.
How long should I hold a stretch?
Many researchers recommend a 30-60 second hold, repeating the stretch 2-5 times with a 15-30 second rest in between each stretch.
How important is proper breathing?
Proper breathing helps to relax the body, increase blood flow to the stretched muscles which improves their elasticity, and helps to remove lactic acid and other by-products of exercise. The proper way to breathe is to inhale slowly through the nose, expanding the abdomen (not the chest); hold the breath a moment; then exhale slowly through the nose or mouth.
What if it hurts?
It is important to remember that some amount of soreness will almost always be experienced by individuals that have not stretched or exercised much on a regular basis. If you are experiencing pain during or after stretching or athletic activity, then it is important to identify the cause. Severe pain (particularly in the joints, ligaments, or tendons) usually indicates a serious injury, and you may need to discontinue stretching and/or exercising until you have sufficiently recovered. You should cease exercising immediately if you feel or hear any tearing or popping, in which case you should seek appropriate professional medical advice.
During a stretch you are generally going to feel some amount of discomfort. The difficulty is being able to discern when it is too much. If you feel like saying "ouch!" then you should ease up immediately. You should feel the tension or a gentle pulling in your muscle, but if it becomes sharp, or uncomfortable, then you are overdoing it.
When can I expect results?
Overall, you should expect to increase flexibility gradually. However, If you really commit yourself, you should achieve maximal upper-body flexibility within one month and maximal lower-body flexibility within two months. If you are older it may take longer than this. Don't try to increase flexibility too quickly by forcing yourself. Stretch no further than the muscles will go without pain.
How does flexibility relate to strength? Strength training and flexibility training should go hand in hand. It is a common misconception that there must always be a trade-off between flexibility and strength. However, flexibility training and strength training can actually enhance one another.
Am I stretching correctly?
If you are stretching on a regular basis, you should find that you are able to stretch farther with each successive stretch. Common mistakes include: inadequate warm-up
- insufficient rest between workouts
- overstretching/forceful stretching
- bouncing while stretching
Overall, a flexibility program that is performed correctly and consistently has many benefits and is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. A balance between strength and flexibility allows your body to function optimally and can decrease the risk of injury and minimize the effects of many musculoskeletal health problems.