Stretching is essential to your daily life, even if you do not intend to play sports. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends stretching at least 2 to 3 times a week to stay healthy. It has been scientifically proven that regular stretching helps to reduce muscle stiffness, relieve pain, improve flexibility, and reduce stress.
Why stretch?
Avoid injuries
Improving your flexibility and range of motion in your joints is important for sport and running. Stretching before exercising is strongly recommended as it can reduce tension in the muscles and joints, prevent cramps and avoid injury. It also helps to recover faster and reduce muscle soreness after exercise.
Ease the pain
Stretching is usually used to treat back pain. Research has shown that stretching improves blood circulation in the muscles and joints, which can help heal and relieve pain. It is a natural but essential way to relieve pain and reduce fatigue and stress.
Improve flexibility
Stretching helps the body stay flexible. They develop and maintain mobility and strength of muscles. Muscles and joints weaken with age, so stretching is important for older people.
The stretching exercises propose:
Daily routines
- warm up exercises in the morning
- Bedtime stretches
For runners
- Pre-race warm-up
- Post-race recovery
For more flexibility and pain relief
- Upper body stretching
- Lower body stretch
- Full body stretch
- Stretching the lower back
- Neck and shoulder stretching
- Back stretching
