Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Parents are often concerned when their toddler’s speech is not developing on time, especially when children have struggled with chronic ear infections, processing disorders or hearing loss. While some speech delays can be corrected relatively easily, such as with ear tubes for children who've had repeated ear infections, other ear problems lead to more significant speech delays.
You found a great pair of leather pants that are the perfect style and color. One problem -- they're a little too small at the waist. Leather fortunately is a natural material that can be manipulated under the right conditions. Like denim jeans, leather pants can shrink if washed improperly, but they also stretch to your body shape -- which is what you'll need to do to squeeze into your new pair.
Whether you're going by air or by land, traveling with kids is nothing like going solo. Gone are the days where you could kick back and read a magazine on a plane or listen to the radio in the car -- now, it's all about proper prep and keeping your kids entertained. Traveling with kids can be seriously stressful and introduce snags into your itinerary, but a little stress shouldn't keep you at home, especially if you know what to expect.
Going out with an infant requires remembering to take a lot of gear. If mom and dad accidentally leave the diaper bag behind, and baby messes in the diaper, what is there to be done? Babies can't sit in their waste due to the danger of diaper rash. Sometimes, knowing what to use for an emergency diaper is the difference between a healthy baby and the pain of diaper rash.
Anterior carriage stretching focuses on the spine, among other areas. Do anterior carriage stretching with help from an experienced Yoga professional in this free video clip.
The spine is covered by three different groups of muscles: spinal flexors, lateral flexors and extensors. The flexors, such as the rectus abdominis, are located at the front of the spine. The lateral flexors, such as the obliques, are at the side of the spine and the extensors, such as the spinal erectors, are at the rear spine. Stretching the spine, therefore, can be called spinal flexor stretch, spinal lateral flexor stretch and spinal extensor stretch. To stretch each of these muscle groups, you need to place them in a lengthened, or elongated, position. Do not stretch before a resistance…
it doesn't matter if you're a ballerina or a factory worker, your toes play an important part in maintaining your balance. Even with this important function, toes are often neglected during stretching routines and abused by uncomfortable footwear. Stretching your toes can reduce your risk of injury by increasing the overall flexibility of your toes and the arch of your feet. All of these toe stretches are performed barefoot. Before stretching, consult with your doctor, especially if you have a pre-existing foot injury.
Stretching the Trapezius dynamically is a great way to stretch both the upper and the lower part of the muscle. Stretch the Trapezius dynamically with help from a family wellness chiropractor in this free video clip.
How you release a stretch of the Subscapularis plays heavily into just how successful that stretch actually was. Release a stretch of the Subscapularis with help from a family wellness chiropractor in this free video clip.
Warming up your ankles is very important, but especially so using leg-intensive activities like dancing. Do a foot stretch for a dancer with help from a competitive gymnast and coach in this free video clip.
IT bands and knee stretches are something you do by crossing one foot over the other. Learn about IT bands and knee stretches with help from a competitive gymnast and coach in this free video clip.
Glute and hip stretches are done to engage your lower back, hip flexors and glutes. Do glute and hip stretches with help from a competitive gymnast and coach in this free video clip.
Opting to take the stairs at work instead of the elevator is a good way to add strength and flexibility to your quadriceps. Each time you step up the stairs your quads extend and stretch. However, you don’t have to wait for work days to gain this benefit -- you can focus your stretching efforts almost anywhere. All you need is a stairwell, a few minutes and the same stairs-over-elevator drive to enhance flexibility and tone in your lower body.
The rectus abdominis muscle runs from the front of your ribcage to the front of your pelvis and is reponsible for flexing, or bending, the spine. Bundles of muscle fibers separated by tendinous bands give the muscle the characteristic "six-pack ab" appearance prized by fitness enthusiasts. However, an overly tight rectus abdominis can pull downward on your ribcage, interfering with posture and breathing.
An essential component of your dry-land training program for the breaststroke is a static stretching routine after a workout. When held for 10 seconds or more, slow stretches can increase the range of motion of your joints. Regularly performing stretches for the breaststroke may give you more flexibility for greater propulsion.
Tibialis anterior is a muscle that travels the length of your shin from the top of the tibia, across the ankle and top of the foot, to your big toe. The symptoms of tibialis anterior tightness include an aching sensation on the outside of the shin or along the ankle and trouble tilting your foot to walk or run. Common causes of tibialis anterior tightness include fast-paced walking, running and cycling with clips on the pedals of the bike. Tibialis anterior can be a little tricky to stretch because it runs along the front of your leg. You may not…
When you head off to the gym to work out or outside for a walk or run, doing some type of stretching before or after has advantages. A static stretch is a general term that refers to any stretch that you hold for 15 to 30 seconds -- for example, a standing hamstring stretch. When done on a regular basis, static stretches help increase your flexibility, range of motion and circulation.
A Korean martial art, taekwondo means "the art of kicking and punching." Other major self-defense movements that you’ll learn in taekwondo are jumping, blocking and parrying. Compared to other martial arts, such as kung fu and karate, taekwondo places extra emphasis on high kicks. Hamstring stretches are the most important drill, according to Charles Stepan’s book “Martial Arts: Taekwondo.” Similar to gymnastics, stretching techniques demand a high degree of flexibility. If you’re a beginner, perform stretches only to the point where you feel discomfort. Use slow controlled movement and avoid bouncing.
The rhomboids and latissimus dorsi are two of the primary muscles in your back. Learn about stretching the rhomboids and the latissimus dorsi with help from a world class professional fitness trainer and nutrition expert in this free video clip.
Extensor stretches target your glutes and your hamstrings. Do extensor stretches with help from a world class professional fitness trainer and nutrition expert in this free video clip.
Stretching your chest is a must after a hard workout of flyes, bench presses or other pectoral exercises. Static stretching helps prevent or alleviate muscle soreness following your workout, and it improves your muscles' flexibility over time, so you can work out even harder in the future. You don’t need any equipment to perform a corner stretch -- just position yourself correctly in a corner of the room and stretch all of your pecs while you’re still warm from your workout.
Your spine is a central support structure of your body and is composed of an intricate network of bones and nerves. The core muscles in your back and torso support your spine and daily movement. Stretching your spine regularly throughout the day, particularly if you sit at a desk for many hours, increases flexibility, strengthens your muscles and boosts circulation. Many spinal stretches can be done while sitting in a chair or on the floor.
The serratus anterior is the large muscle that begins as the meat between the first nine ribs, sandwiches between the ribs and the shoulder blade, and ends connected to the entire edge of the shoulder blade nearest the spine. Tightness of the serratus anterior with the need to stretch can be caused by muscle fatigue, point tenderness like a charlie horse or cramping due to poor posture and breathing. The proper stretches will alleviate a tight serratus anterior. Hold each stretch for up to 30 seconds and repeat as needed.
The buttocks are made up of four muscles -- gluteus maximus, medius, minimus and the tiny tensor fasciae latae muscle. The buttock muscles -- or glutes -- help the leg move in and out, help the hips flex and aid in sitting. In this modern world of sedentary lifestyles, it's important to stretch the buttocks, especially before and after exercising. Check with a doctor before doing glute exercises that increase flexibility and maximize muscle length.
When you subject your legs to constant pounding or increase the intensity of your workouts too abruptly, expect your shin muscles to complain. One of those muscles, the tibialis anterior, helps with ankle flexion and inversion, or rotation of the foot toward your body's midline. You can stretch the tibialis anterior, along with other muscles of the shin and calf, with a basic toe circle exercise. Because toe circles are low key and dynamic, you can safely perform them before and after exercise and at various times throughout the day to prevent or treat shin pain.
Your clavicle, also known as the collarbone, is a critical part of your shoulder girdle that connects your deltoids and the pectoralis major. The clavicle acts as stabilizing bone in your skeleton, helping to strengthen your shoulder muscles. Clavicle stretches include workouts that target the pectoralis muscles and the deltoids: chest stretch, neck rotation and lateral neck bend. You can prevent muscle and joint pain in the clavicle area by performing exercises that stretch the clavicle.
The muscles, ligaments and tendons of the foot are a complex system and any number of injuries or issues can cause pain in the foot and surrounding area. If you've already talked to your doctor and determined that you need to focus on stretching the foot flexors, try some basic stretches that you can do nearly anywhere. If you haven't talked to your doctor, do so before trying any therapies on your own.
Stretching your oblique muscles, which run along the sides of your torso, before and after you exercise is an effective way to reduce the risk of developing a strain or tear. Although many stretches are simple to perform by yourself, you can often get a deeper stretch with some assistance from an inanimate object.
Your coccyx, or tailbone, is located at the very end of your spine and is surrounded by muscles essential to the movement of your hips, pelvis and legs. If not exercised on a regular basis, these muscles can become stiff, such as after a day of sitting at the office or in front of the TV. To keep these muscles loose and limber, practice a variety of stretches targeting the area around your tailbone.
The biceps femoris is one of three muscles that make up the hamstring, which is located in the back of the thigh. This muscle is used every time you bend your knee, for example, when you step over something on the floor. Stretching the biceps femoris will reduce the risk of a hamstring strain. Although stretching the biceps femoris only takes a few minutes, daily stretching can bring lasting benefits.
Breathing is an important part of your day. Without it, you would not be alive long enough to endure the lower-back pain associated with a tight serratus posterior inferior muscle or two. This small but mighty muscle sits in your lower back and connects your spine to your lower ribs. When you inhale, it depresses your lower ribs, opening up your diaphragm. As you can see, this is a very important muscle. Stretching the serratus posterior inferior releases tension, increases flexibility and reduces pain. This combination not only reduces back pain, it keeps you breathing easily.
Stretching before intense exercise helps prevent injuries by loosening connective tissue. However, stretching before your muscles are warm is never a good idea. Instead, begin with a light form of cardio, such as jogging or a brisk walk, and then move on to stretching. Stretches can be performed alone, with a partner, against a wall or other support or with a stretching tool, such as a foam roller or a towel. However you choose to stretch, the health benefits will be greater if you do so on a consistent and frequent basis.
Stretching is a good way to avoid injury during a workout. While it is helpful to stretch your legs before running or sprinting, it is equally important to stretch your upper body before any kind of workout. Stretching your pectoral muscles can help increase flexibility and strength in your chest, especially as part of a comprehensive weight-training program. More importantly, stretching your pectorals can relieve muscle soreness after working out.
The latissimus dorsi -- or the "lats" -- are the largest muscles in your back, extending from the crest of your pelvis and the lower back to the top of your upper arm bone. While working with other muscle groups in your back and shoulders, your lats help you perform many torso and shoulder movements, including arm raises, lateral bends and horizontal shoulder and torso rotations. Try different stretches in different body orientations to see which ones work best for you.
Dynamic stretches, during which you smoothly move your joints through a range of motion, are ideally done before physical activity. Stretching in this way before exercising warms up and relaxes your muscles, resulting in greater flexibility and functionality, and less chance of injury. The scorpion stretch, for instance, can be incorporated in your pre-workout warm-up. When done correctly, this stretch improves the range of motion in your lower back, obliques and hips.
An anterior head carriage is a condition in which your head is held forward off its correct anatomical position. When you stand straight with your head, back and legs aligned, the muscles and joints in your body adequately support and stabilize each other. Constantly positioning your head forward out of normal alignment causes the rest of your body, especially your neck and shoulders, to arch forward to compensate. This results in additional pressure and stress and leads over time to an unhealthy posture that requires corrective exercises and stretches.
Your shoulder is a complex joint, and because it can move in several planes, it is particularly vulnerable to injury. The movements possible at the shoulder include medial and lateral rotation, abduction and adduction, flexion and extension, horizontal flexion and extension and circumduction. That's nine movements compared to just two at the elbow. To help keep your shoulder stable, a group of muscles called the rotator cuff, located underneath your main deltoid muscles, work to keep your shoulder properly aligned. The infraspinatus is part of the rotator cuff group.
Static stretching is typically performed after a workout to increase flexibility, remove lactic acid from your muscles and to prepare your body for your next workout. These stretches use slow and controlled movements to gradually extend the range of motion of a targeted muscle, such as your biceps. Whether static stretching is effective depends on how you're using your biceps.
The shoulder is a ball and socket joint, capable of moving in all directions. A flexible shoulder joint is essential for most daily activities, such as getting dressed, driving, job duties and recreational activities. The four rotator cuff muscles -- supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis -- are responsible for shoulder stability, and tightness in these muscles can significantly impair your function. Broom stretches can be performed to stretch the infraspinatus and subscapularis muscles. Move into each stretch slowly, and do not stretch to the point of pain. Overstretching can cause permanent damage to muscles. Consult your doctor before stretching…
When you're feeling a lot of pain in your joints, your first instinct may be to move the joints as little as possible. However, movement in the form of stretching or gentle exercise is often just what you need. If achy joints are a part of your daily life, it's important to talk to your doctor about the best methods for treating the problem. If you get her ok, do some basic standing stretches to help relieve your pain.
Spending a few minutes stretching your biceps muscles is hardly entertaining, but failing to stretch puts you at risk of a muscle strain. Use dynamic stretches before working out; this type of stretch is quick and warms up your muscles and body. During your cool-down, use static stretches, such as the biceps wall stretch, which are traditional-style stretches that you hold for several seconds.
Stretching with resistance tubes is a great way to open up the heart and stretch the chest. Learn about stretching with resistance tubes with help from a Pilates and functional training expert in this free video clip.
You already own the tools you need to stretch your favorite pair of non-leather sandals. Though synthetic materials do not expand as easily as leather, you can extend your non-leather sandals without having to forcibly stretch them by hand or buy costly shoe stretchers. With just a hair dryer and an extra pair of socks or two, your non-leather sandals will be stretched and ready to wear comfortably.
Broom stretches are a great way to really strengthen a few key areas of your body, like the subscapularis or the infraspinatus. Learn about subscapularis or infraspinatus broom stretches with help from the founder of Exerscribe at the Fit Athletic Club in this free video clip.
Assisted stretching techniques help you achieve a much greater range of motion. Learn about assisted stretching techniques with help from an experienced fitness professional in this free video clip.
PNF stands for "proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation." Learn about PNF groin stretches with help from an experienced longtime personal trainer in this free video clip.
One simple stretch that you can do for the serratus posterior inferior requires you to be kneeling. Learn about a great serratus posterior inferior stretch with help from an experienced longtime personal trainer in this free video clip.
One stretching routine for knee strength involves the careful use of the quad stretch and the stability ball. Find out about stretching exercises for knee strength with help from an experienced longtime personal trainer in this free video clip.
If you play tennis or do yoga, you're definitely going to want to give some brachioradialis stretches a try. Do brachioradialis stretches with help from a fitness professional in this free video clip.
Stretching the edges of a dough requires you to keep in mind the fact that the dough will spring back and shrink during cooking. Stretch the edges of dough with help from a food and nutrition expert in this free video clip.
