The body is resilient, but a little pre-exercise stretching can make all the difference. Many modern trainers consider stretching to be essential. In fact, some experts believe stretching is beneficial no matter the intensity of the workout.
So, why exactly is stretching essential to your body? Does stretching prevent injury by itself? Let’s take a closer look at what makes stretching “work.” Then, we’ll give you a few tips to maximize your stretching.
The Benefits of Stretching
Many sports trainers, sports medicine practitioners and fitness organizations promote stretching, and for different reasons. While experts believe stretching benefits the body in different ways, most consider the practice to be healthy, overall, for any active individual.
Increased Range of Motion
By stretching, you can directly improve your performance. Lifting, bending and running get a little easier when you’ve prioritized your range of motion. Flexibility exercises loosen up your active muscles, freeing your body to achieve more positions.
Improved Circulation
A good stretch also increases blood flow to your muscles. Blood delivers nourishing nutrients, too, which promote long-term growth. Plus, it removes waste byproducts inside your muscle tissue.
Improved Posture
If you stretch often, you’ll stand straighter. Frequent stretching can also reduce the regular aches and pains which contribute to a less-than-ideal posture over time.
How Does Stretching Prevent Injury?
More studies have concluded that stretching mainly reduces injuries by increasing flexibility. While immobilization and a sedentary can cause long term injuries, range of motion exercises can protect the body.
This increased flexibility won’t prevent injuries by itself. In some cases, increased flexibility can hinder athletic performance. Runners, for example, can become too flexible before they compete. When this happens, they over accentuate their muscles—and their movements. This overuse, alone, can ruin an athlete’s form.
Active and Isolated Flexibility Exercises
These types of exercises maximize the positive effects of stretching. They move the joint, and muscle, gently to the point of tension. Then, the tension is released. This is repeated 10 times.
This type of flexibility practice, done before exercise, promotes healthy circulation and mobility alike. It also lubricates the targeted joint. These benefits may seem small, but they’re rather important. You can use stretching to reduce the chances of long term injury, similar to the way you’d use exercise.
Improving Problem Areas
If you have a good program which targets your body’s problem areas, you can improve your overall fitness performance. In general, quality performance reduces the chance of injury. When designing a flexibility program, sports medicine experts normally aim to improve low-flexibility areas.
Of course, every stretching routine is different. In most, stretching tight muscles seems to be enough. In others, the goal is to become as limber as possible. Again: Stretching alone won’t increase your body’s physical resilience. It merely lets you perform better, athletically.
The relationship between stretching and injury prevention is indeed obscure.. If you do stretch, consider using both static and dynamic stretches.
Static stretches involve holding a single position for about 30 seconds.
Dynamic stretches, or active stretches, practice the body’s range of motion.
At the end of the day, stretching might not be more than a fun habit. If it works for you, makes you feel limber and boosts your warmup comfort—then stretch away!
