How Does Stretching Help Health?
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What Stretching Does
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Anyone saying "ooh, my back" when lifting a heavy object knows very well that the bones of our bodies are held together with an intricate system of muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Any member of that network will signal injury with pain.
To prevent such pain, one of the best strategies is to warm up our muscles with stretching. This way, muscles are conditioned to work as we need them to, whether it's to lift a heavy object, run a race or just get through our day without discomfort.
How to Stretch
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To get muscles ready to work, begin your day with stretching. While you are still in bed, raise your arms over your head and reach as far down in bed as you can with your feet. When you feel you have stretched as far as you can, relax in that position and stretch just a little bit more. Hold your new stretch for 10 to 30 seconds, then get up.
Take a few minutes to stretch your muscles in other ways than just a whole body stretch. With arms over your head and feet apart, bend from side to side to stretch at the waist. Dropping, raising and rotating your head will stretch neck muscles. With hands on hips, lunge forward, alternating feet, to stretch leg muscles. With arms stretched out in front of you or held out at your sides, squat down to stretch upper-leg and hip muscles. Bending over to touch your toes stretches back muscles as well.
All stretching needs to be done slowly and gently. It cannot in itself be described as "exercise"; rather, stretching prepares your muscles for exercise and activity. If you are preparing for specific exercise like running or fast walking, you may wish to give additional attention to some of the muscle groups you will be using, like those in your legs and hips.
Seeing Results
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Beginning your exercise or other activity with warmed-up, stretched muscles should show positive results. By stretching, you have reduced the chance that movement will pull suddenly on a muscle not ready to work. You are also likely to notice other beneficial results. Stretching torso muscles helps you stand straighter and breathe more deeply; getting additional oxygen to muscles makes exercise more effective. Stretching also improves balance; you may find your step surer with the laundry basket on stairs. And stretching helps to ready the heart to function at maximum efficiency. Like a car engine on a winter morning, the heart "warms up" with the gentle movement of muscles and is more ready to deliver the blood and oxygen needed by muscles as activity increases.
Stretch a little, gain a lot. A few minutes will give you a better day.
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