Posted11 december 2017door Nick Parkinson, M.Ed., AT, ATC, TSAC-F
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If you haven't touched your toes since high school, take note: flexible joints not only help prevent injuries, they improve things like your golf swing and performance on the basketball court and maintain your ability to perform simple, basic activities. live.
Whether you're bending down to tie your shoes or reaching over your head to get something from a cupboard, your muscles (and in turn your joints) must remain flexible to maintain full range of motion. If you don't have that flexibility, other muscles come into action to compensate for the deficits.
Over time, these behaviors, which compensate for a lack of flexibility, can lead to injury. For example, if your hip flexors are tight, you may start to use your lower back or hamstrings more than necessary to achieve your exercise goals. It won't take long before you discover that you have lower back pain or a pulled hamstring. If your pecs (the front of your shoulders) are tight, you will inevitably have thisbad attitudeand could therefore develop spinal problems. And if your calves are tight, your ankle mobility will be limited and you won't be able to squat to full depth.
So it's important to make sure all your muscles have the flexibility to do what they need to do. But don't worry: you don't have to twist yourself into a pretzel to become more flexible. Instead, try these five strategies to become more flexible.
- Stay warm. Whether your goal is to prevent injuries orrun your fastest 5Kit is important to warm up your muscles before exercising. Walk on your toes, walk on your heels and mix. The idea is to warm up your body and get your heart rate up before you start your exercise program.
- Stand still. Static stretches – where you hold a position for half a minute or longer – are a great way to make your muscles more flexible. Think of a rubber band; if you pull it again and again, it will remain too tight. Your body works the same way. A general rule of thumb: Hold static stretches for at least 30 seconds after exercise when your body is warm. And make sure you never do static stretches before activity. It can reduce strength and power and increase the risk of injury.
- Take a break. like yousitting at a deskSet an alarm every hour during the day to remind yourself to get up and stretch your muscles. Not only will your body feel better, but you will also find that you are more productive after stretching thanks to the increased blood flow to your head.
- Try yoga.Yogais one of the best forms of activity to increase flexibility and core strength. People who engage in repetitive movement activities – thinkmisuse, walked andswimming– are at greatest risk of developing tightness in their muscles and joints. So they'll reap significant rewards – both in form and function – from hitting the yoga mat.
- Getting a massage. If you want to have a meaningful impact on your muscles, you have to go deep. Skip the relaxing, feel-good Swedish massage and instead find a therapist skilled in deep tissue or sports massage. Someone who is able to dig into areas of tension and access trigger points in the muscle that cause it to release can loosen you up and improve flexibility.
The bottom line: Whatever you do, you can perform better (and feel better) if your muscles are more flexible. In fact, many people cannot achieve what they want in the weight room or in sports because they are not flexible.
The more you nourish your muscles, joints and tissues, the longer you can enjoy full range of motion – making you more productive for everything from your tennis game to your daily activities.
Categories :Move well
