Top 5 Benefits of Stretching

Top 5 Benefits of Stretching

There are several benefits of stretching, and stretching needs to be a part of your fitness program.

Stretching, in its most basic form, is a natural and instinctive activity. People often stretch instinctively after waking from sleep or after long periods of inactivity.

As a form of exercise, stretching involves elongating a specific muscle or muscle group to its fullest length.

Here are the top five benefits of stretching:

1. Increases flexibility.

Flexibility is the degree to which an individual muscle will lengthen. Lack of flexibility causes your movement to become slower and less fluid and makes you more susceptible to muscle strains, ligament sprains and other soft tissue injuries. The most effective way to increase your flexibility is by stretching.

2. Improves circulation.

Stretching increases blood flow to the muscles. This increased blood flow brings more nourishment to the muscles and removes more waste byproducts from the muscles. Increased blood flow can also help speed up recovery from muscle and joint injuries.

3. Improves balance and coordination.

The increased flexibility that comes from stretching improves balance and coordination. Improved balance and coordination lowers your risk for falls.

4. Helps alleviate lower back pain.

Stiff and tight muscles in the lower back, hamstrings, buttocks and hips is one of the more common causes of lower back pain. Stretching these muscles will alleviate the pain.

5. Helps improve cardiovascular health.

Recent studies have found that stretching can improve artery function and lower blood pressure.

In conclusion, don't overlook the benefits of stretching. Make sure that stretching is a regular part of your fitness program.

Call today and setup an appointment for a stretching session, besides helping your body feel better you may be strengthening your heart. 801-703-8503

Gary Rumel, Corrective Therapist

Fitworks Corrective Therapy

www.fitworksutah.com

Stretching Reduces Fatigue as Well as Other Benefits

Stretching Reduces Fatigue as Well as Other Benefits

Stretching is a simple and effective activity that helps to enhance athletic performance, decrease the likelihood of injury and minimize muscle soreness.

Reduced Fatigue

Fatigue is a major problem for everyone, especially those who exercise. It results in a decrease in both physical and mental performance. Increased flexibility through stretching can help prevent the effects of fatigue by taking pressure off the working muscles, (the agonist). For every muscle in the body there is an opposite or opposing muscle, (the antagonist). If the opposing muscles are more flexible, the working muscles do not have to exert as much fore against the opposing muscles. Therefore each movement of the working muscles actually take less effort.

Added Benefits

Along with the benefits listed above, a regular stretching program will also help improve posture; develop body awareness; improve co-ordination; promote circulation; increase energy; and improve relaxation and stress relief.

Fitworks Corrective Therapy has been successful in helping clients improve their flexibility through a stretching program. Give Fitworks Corrective Therapy a call today to get a free stretching session and discover how your flexibility is doing. 801-703-8503.

Gary Rumel, Corrective Therapist

Fitworks CorrectiveTherapy

Fitworks! Because it works!

www.fitworksutah.com

Stretching Increases Power and Reduces Muscle Soreness

Stretching Increases Power and Reduces Muscle Soreness

Stretching is a simple and effective activity that helps to enhance athletic performance, decrease the likelihood of injury and minimize muscle soreness. 

Increased Power

By increasing our muscle length we are increasing the distance over which our muscles are able to contract. This results in a potential increase to our muscles power and therefore increases our athletic ability.  This will lead to an improvement in our balance or our ability to control our muscles.

Reduced Post Exercise Muscle Soreness

We have all experience what happens when we go for a run or to the gym for the first time in a few months. The following day our muscles are tight, sore, stiff and it is usually hard to even walk down a flight of stairs. This soreness that usually accompanies strenuous physical activity is often referred to as post exercise muscle soreness. This soreness is the result of micro tears, (small tears within the muscle fibers), blood pooling and accumulated waste products, such as lactic acid. Stretching, as part of an effective cool down, it helps alleviate the soreness by lengthening the individual muscle fibers; increasing blood circulation; and removing waste products.

Fitworks Corrective Therapy has been successful in helping clients improve their flexibility because of musculoskeletal imbalances. Give Fitworks Corrective Therapy a call today to get a free stretching session and discover how your flexibility is doing. 801-703-8503.

Gary Rumel, Corrective Therapist

Fitworks Corrective Therapy

www.fitworksutah.com

Source: The Anatomy of Stretching by Brad Walker