Every one of us has been told to stretch before exercising or playing any sport, as the benefits of stretching are countless. Exercise indeed comes with numerous health benefits, and workouts have become an integral part of our lives. However, getting injured while exercising or playing sports is very common. Thus, injury prevention and incurring flexibility should be one’s top priority.
Muscle stretching is one of the important components of fitness and the best recommendation to prevent any injury. It keeps the muscles strong, flexible, and healthy.
Another factor that proves stretching a necessity is the fact that the human body needs to maintain a range of motion in the joints and improves mobility and flexibility with time.
Have you ever wondered why stretching hurts but feels good? It is majorly because of the various scientific and bodily factors that cause the pleasure associated with stretching. The release of endorphins, activation of the rest and digestion system, better blood flow, and reduced muscle stiffness, all add to the benefits of stretching or rather say, the joy of stretching. Let us now move on to the important aspects of stretching for injury prevention!
Why is Muscle Stretching Important for Injury Prevention?
As per research, there are various benefits of stretching, specifically dynamic stretching. Performing dynamic stretching before a workout can improve performance and prevent muscle imbalances. In simple terms, muscle stretching can help in injury prevention as it:
1. Amplify Flexibility
Flexibility is the key to avoiding injury and works wonders for an individual who sits 8-9 hours straight at their workplace. The importance of stretching can be stated for increasing joint and muscle flexibility and helps to bend, twist, and reach without straining.
Flexibility and stretching exercises can be done before starting a workout. Furthermore, in the modern workplace or physically demanding jobs, working on flexibility can help individuals bend their joints without being hurt. This can also help them correct postural problems that could lead to injury.
2. Minimizes the Risk of Strains & Sprains
Ligament sprains and muscle strains are very common while exercising or even while sitting on a chair. Stretching your muscles strengthens and boosts the range of motion of the ankle joint. It makes your muscles work more effectively because of the increased blood flow. A strong and flexible ankle has less chance of getting injured because loose joints can react quickly.
Apart from injury prevention, there are several other benefits of stretching. Let us discuss it in brief!
Benefits of Stretching
1. Improves Blood Circulation
Stretching improves blood circulation, boosts the oxygen level in the human body, and helps take nutrients to the muscles. Further, it helps in removing metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide, uric acid, and ammonia. It is essential to stretch your hamstrings, calves, and quads before hitting the treadmill or going out for a run.
2. Improves Flexibility
As mentioned earlier, stretching helps in improving flexibility, and, as a result, it leads to a range of motion in your joints. It significantly helps an individual to bend more easily. One thing to remember is not to overstretch. Overstretching can damage the muscles and increase the time it takes to gain flexibility.
3. Better Sports Performance
As muscle stretching helps in improving flexibility, it can be good for sports. It helps improve performance, and posture, boosts efficient movement, avoids incorrect body alignment, maintains correct muscle length, and reduces injury risk. For instance, swimmers can develop a range of shoulder motion through stretching, resulting in improved performance. It is regarded as one of the best stretching exercises.
4. Helps Getting the Improved Posture
Muscle Stretching is a practice that puts our muscles to work, strengthening them, and making them perform effectively, ultimately, helping in getting a better posture. The key to achieving an improved posture is to strengthen and stretch the muscles in the upper back, chest, and core.
5. Stress Relief and Mental Benefits
Stretching is said to play an important role in the mental health and well-being of a person. As per research, the benefits of stretching include increasing the serotonin level, the hormone that helps stabilize our mood, decreases the stress level and makes us feel good. Thus, it can be effective in relieving depression and anxiety.
Stretching regularly, even for a few minutes, is good for the human body. There are flexibility and stretching exercises that an individual can perform daily. Let’s jot down those!
Best Stretching Exercises for Full Body Relaxation
- Neck Roll- Neck roll helps in releasing the tension from the neck, reduces the pain, and provides flexibility. It is the perfect muscle stretching technique for the working individual who sit straight for 8-9 hours at their workplace.
- Shoulder Roll- Shoulder roll is an effective stretching technique that helps your body to maintain a correct posture. This stretching practice loosens up the tight muscles in the neck and upper back, keeping the muscles flexible.
- The Standing Side Stretch- This practice of stretching strengthens the shoulders and core. It is very well known for improving mobility on the shoulders and sides of a human body. One can perform this exercise regularly to release tension from the body.
- Forward Bend- Forward Bend is a kind of Yoga in which you bring your upper body close to meet your lower body, resulting in activating your abdominal, quads, and calves. Further, this technique stretches your hamstrings, hip muscles, and lower back.
- Seated Torso Stretch- Another stretching technique that can be performed regularly is Seated torso stretch. It specifically targets the muscles in your back and core, improving the range of motion in hips and releasing tension from the shoulders and back.
Rules for Safe Muscle Stretching
Apart from dozens of benefits of stretching, in some cases, it can lead to discomfort, especially when an individual has any underlying conditions. To maintain safety while muscle stretching, all are recommended to follow proper safety rules. These can be:
- Warming up before stretching
- Starting slowly and gently
- Paying attention to appropriate posture
- Stopping when it gets painful
- Breathing slowly while stretching
- Concentrating on the muscle being stretched
One thing that needs to be understood is that flexibility and stretching exercises should be practiced constantly. In addition, if you are someone who has a chronic condition or an injury, you might need to adjust your stretching techniques. We hope that this piece of information helps you, Happy stretching!
