Did you know that some minor physical movements can significantly impact your overall health, wellness, and quality of life? If you’re wondering whether you should start stretching, the answer is an unequivocal yes.
Stretching exercises are a common component of physical therapy. You might be surprised at how many ways stretches can help you, especially when they are done correctly.
If you want to unlock a personalized stretching program designed just for you, contact Excel Physical Therapy today to schedule an appointment. And in the meantime, here’s a comprehensive guide to different types of stretching and their benefits to help you avoid injuries or, at the very least, keep existing ones from worsening!
How does regularly stretching help improve your health?
Stretching has several benefits for helping your body maintain its health, including stress relief! Everyday life presents numerous challenges, and the resulting tension can be stored in your muscles.
Cortisol and adrenaline, “fight or flight” chemicals, flood your body in response to stress. These abnormalities may suppress immune function, making you more susceptible to viruses and other infections. Hypertension is another severe side effect of chronic stress.
Regular stretching allows your body to release pent-up stress. By relaxing and loosening your muscles, you can keep your blood pressure under control, avoid chronic muscle pain, and keep your immune system prepared for anything.
Dynamic stretching
Dynamic techniques move the body and rely on momentum to move through a series of repeated movements.
Consider a hamstring stretch. With each pass, the leg is swung upward in a kick through its range of motion, gradually increasing in height.
It’s critical to understand the limits of your regular range of motion because excess momentum can put your limb in a dangerous overextended position that could result in injury.
A baseball player or someone preparing for a throwing motion might start their shoulder warm-up with widening, concentric arm circles, gradually increasing the range of motion until the full range is covered.
Active stretching
Active stretching techniques require you to adopt and hold a position or pose using only the muscles in the corresponding group to the one being stretched.
As an example, consider flexing your ankle back and forth. The calf muscles that hold the toes pointed toward the shin are referred to as the “agonist” and “antagonist” because they perform opposing functions. In any stretch, the agonist muscle contracts and the antagonist muscle lengthens.
Allow the limbs or joints in question to move naturally through their full range of motion, holding at each end, while using this technique all over the body.
This is ideal for warming up before an activity, as opposed to lengthening the muscle as part of a proactive program to improve flexibility.
Passive stretching
Most people associate the term “stretching” with passive techniques. Whether held by hand or gravity, a passive stretching pose is mostly stationary and exerts a force to lengthen the target muscle by reaching the limits of its range of motion.
A pose that can be held for a long time indicates that the muscle hasn’t reached its full potential and that a gradual, deeper stretch is required. While passive stretching is beneficial for improving overall flexibility and balance, prolonged muscle extension prior to intense activity may impair your strength, so it’s best to do it after a workout rather than before.
Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching
PNF stretching, also known as proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, is a group of techniques used in rehabilitation to restore range of motion to an injured or weakened muscle.
Begin by stretching the limb or target muscle, and then contract that muscle group for 4-6 seconds while a helper or fixed object (such as a wall or table) provides resistance to keep everything in place.
Release the contraction, hold the stretched pose for 20-30 seconds before shaking loose and relaxing completely for another 30-45 seconds, and then repeat in cycles.
PNF stretching can be a highly effective “best of both worlds” choice by combining passive and active fundamentals, resulting in a safe set of exercises ideal for recovery.
Stretching is all about improving performance and reducing injury, so it’s important to know when each is most useful and not get too excited about speeding up the process.
Unlock these benefits for yourself– contact Excel Physical Therapy today!
Stretching can be performed properly or incorrectly. Various types of stretches have distinct advantages. For your condition, active stretches (moving a body part without assistance), passive stretches (holding or supporting a body part), or both may be appropriate.
Stretches can cause injury if done incorrectly, so it’s important to consult with a professional before you begin throwing yourself into spontaneous exercise routines! Contact our physical therapy clinic right away to learn how our team can assist you in stretching safely and effectively!
