Benefits of Stretching and Mobility

Kelli • October 2, 2020

Man stretching outdoors, wearing green tank top, blue shorts, and sneakers.Benefits of Stretching and MobilityMan clutching shoulder in pain, yellow burst indicates injury, red background.

 

Stretching should be part of your daily routine, whether you exercise or not. It does not have to involve a huge amount of time, but stretching can end up having huge results.

Benefits of Stretching Before and After Exercise:

  • Reduce muscle tension and helps the body feel relaxed
  • Avoid joint strains
    • A Strong pre-stretched muscle resists stress better than a strong unstretched muscle
  • Reduce risk of back injuries
  • Prepare muscle/joints for exercise
  • Improve circulation
    • Which will increase energy levels
    • Which reduces post-athletic soreness and recovery time
    • Promote cell growth and organ function
    • Regulates blood pressure
  • Reduce muscle soreness
  • Helps coordination by allowing freer and easier movement
  • Avoid tired, stiff and sore muscles
  • Better flexibility
    • Improved Range of Motion
    • Results in body working less for the same movements without stretching
  • Develop Body Awareness
  • Improves Posture
  • Increase in overall mood
    • Research shows stretching aids in release of endorphins
  • Post-exercise stretch will slow down breathing and heart rate and bring the body and mind bck to a resting state

Basic Techniques of Stretching:

  • Do not stretch too far, begin with a slight stretch and increase it after you feel your body relax
  • Hold stretch in comfortable position, once you feel the tension subside, you can progress the stretch further
  • Breathe slowly deeply and naturally-exhale
  • Do not bounce – this tightens the muscles your are trying to stretch.

Avoid Stretching If:

  • The joint is inflamed or infected
  • Recent bone fracture, sprain or strain

Diagram of stretching types: Static, Dynamic, and Pre-Contraction. Each has sub-categories, labeled.
Different Types of Stretches:

  • Static: stretching a muscle to the point of mild discomfort and holding that position, usually for 30 seconds or longer
  • Dynamic: performing gentle repetitive movements, such as arm circles/swings and gradually increasing the range of motion of the movement
  • Pre-Contractions Stretching:
    • Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF): holding a stretch while contracting and relaxing the muscle. For Example hamstring stretch – lying on back leg straight in air in a band or against the wall and contracting quads and holding to then relax and take the hamstrings into a further stretch
    • Muscle Energy Technique (MET): isometric (static) contractions of the muscle that is being stretched to assist in lengthening the muscle

 

Stretching Resources:

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