Stretching exercises improve muscle flexibility, prevent injuries, and help reduce stress.
Warming Up Muscles, Joints, and Tendons
Health experts advocate stretching as beneficial for everyone, advising its regular inclusion in overall exercise routines. Here are the advantages of stretching exercises.
Enhancing Flexibility
Flexibility is vital for keeping joints and tissues healthy. If the tissues around joints become inflexible, muscles can become tired, tense, and prone to injuries like strains or ligament tears.
According to scientists, stretching exercises can increase flexibility and enable joints to move through their full range of motion. Studies have shown that people who stretch regularly can enhance flexibility, reduce stiffness in the hamstrings, and improve knee mobility.
Preventing Injuries
Coaches often consider stretching as part of the warm-up process to increase the heart rate. These exercises prepare the body for strenuous activity, improve posture, help adjust muscle length imbalances, and maximize flexibility in the hips, shoulders, and ankles. Therefore, it’s recommended to perform some static stretching exercises before workouts to loosen tissues, muscles, and avoid injuries.
A study from the University of Alabama, USA, found that people who performed both static and dynamic stretching for 15 minutes before activities could prevent injuries and significantly reduce lower back pain and muscle/tendon injuries like strains.
Improving Posture
A study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT – USA) on adolescents aged 15 to 17 revealed that participants in a 16-week program saw reductions in forward head posture and shoulder protraction.
Reducing Stress, Enhancing Sleep
Stretching not only loosens tight muscles but can also benefit mental health. Scientists say stress can cause muscles to become tense, leading to discomfort and chronic pain. Meanwhile, stretching exercises can reduce muscle tension, thereby increasing serotonin levels, stabilizing mood, and creating a sense of well-being.
Research from Brazil, USA, shows that people with chronic insomnia can improve their sleep and reduce anxiety by stretching three times a week for four months, compared to those who didn’t stretch or exercise.
Another study found that people who performed stretching exercises for 10 minutes after work felt less anxious and more energetic than those who didn’t.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends optimal times for stretching: 5-10 minutes before exercising to warm up, and after workouts to bring the body back to balance. Additionally, individuals should also engage in light stretching exercises if they work at a computer for long periods, stand for extended times, or sit frequently.
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