Stretching exercises are an important part of a healthy and active lifestyle. Stretching can help to reduce muscle tension, and inflammation, improved circulation, and toning, and strengthen muscles. It’s cited as being one of the best ways to prevent or manage the risk factors for injury such as overuse injuries, anterior knee pain, and arthritis that can result from prolonged sitting at a desk or driving an automobile.
Benefits of Stretching exercises
1. Improve flexibility
Stretching increases the range of motion by increasing the length of muscle fibers. It relaxes muscles and tendons, making them more pliable and elongated.
Stretching exercises also improve body posture by elongating tight muscles and relaxing areas that are too tense. This decrease in tension allows your body to move with more fluidity. Some studies have shown that yoga can help relieve low back pain and sciatica pain by stretching these tight muscles.
2. Reduce muscle tension
Muscle tension can be measured by the degree of muscular contraction. This tightness can make you feel pain, soreness, and stiffness in your muscles. Stretching exercises and yoga help to reduce muscle tension, leading to less discomfort, less pain, and a better ability to move through your day. Stretching exercises or yoga can be done at home regularly or utilized in a professional setting such as physical therapy and massage therapy.
3. Reduce stress
Stretching exercises can also be used to reduce stress in your body. When you stretch and elongate tight muscles, you’re melting away the tension that’s built up with the stress response system (fight or flight). Stretching exercises and yoga can help relax specific muscle groups where you are feeling the tension, giving your body a break from the constant state of stress and tension.
4. Prevent injury
Stretching your muscles will help prevent injuries. Stretching exercises and yoga can help reduce the risk of injuries by strengthening your muscles, increasing flexibility, and preventing muscle and joint adhesions. They can also decrease the risk of muscle strains, sprains, and bruises.
5. Improve performance
Stretching exercises and yoga can improve performance in sports such as running, basketball, tennis, and soccer. For example, athletes that stretch before engaging in their sport can increase their flexibility by over 10%.
Being active and working out regularly is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Stretching exercises and yoga help to improve your overall health by reducing muscle tension and stress, and improving flexibility, performance, and posture. Stretching all the major muscle groups in your body once a day, every day can go a long way in improving your overall health.