My body is stiff and tired or I’m old and achy, okay we all have probably said this once or a hundred times but, one of the main causes of this pain may come from our muscles, tendons, and joints they can lose flexibility as we get older, muscles become shortened and unable to perform their normal functions. As a result, you’re more likely to experience muscular soreness, injuries, strains, joint pain, and even a fall. Even simple tasks like tying your shoes will be more difficult as a result. Aside from increasing your flexibility and range of motion, regular stretching of the muscles helps alleviate stress-induced muscular tightness, alleviate discomfort, and improve your posture and breathing. It can also lower the chance of injury.
Stretching your muscles and keeping your body limber are the goals of flexibility exercises.
This opens up the range of motion for various other exercises and activities. Two types of stretching exist one is dynamic stretching, which involves moving through a range of motion that mimics the activity or sport, and static stretching, which consists of holding a position for a predetermined amount of time.
There is HOPE!
You can make a change right now, you can become more flexible and increase your range of motion, by bringing in stretching to your daily routine.
Before stretching, warm-up for a few minutes. Add arm circles to your jogs or marches to bring the blood and oxygen to the muscles and make them more receptive to changes. Then, select your stretch and gradually increase the length of your stretch until you feel no discomfort. Take a few deep breaths, then hold on for 10-30 seconds. However, don’t force a stretch into the painful range by repeating your stretch. That causes the muscle to become tense, which is not beneficial. You can hold a stretch posture for as long as 60 seconds, but be sure to focus on the following areas of the body: the calves, the hamstrings, hip flexors, the quadriceps, and the muscles of the shoulders, neck, and lower back.
Stretching should be done at least four to five times a week, preferably every day.
