A little stretching goes a long way

Why is stretching so important?

This is the question I would frequently ask myself before my knowledge on the subject improved. I played a lot of sport growing up including football, golf and rugby. I always assumed that a half-hearted attempt to touch my toes and a few heel flicks was sufficient.

Oh how wrong was I!

It took numerous injuries and severe pain to realise something needed to change.

So what happens if we don’t stretch?

Muscles Contract

Without stretching, your muscles begin to contract and tighten after a long workout. Joints such as your knees can become painful from the tight contraction of the surrounding musculature. Stretching loosens the muscle, which aids in a quick recovery and the prevention of pain.

Lactic Acid Builds Up

If your unfamiliar with this term it is that burning sensation you feel in your muscles during and post workout. However, proper stretching can help this lactic acid to be flushed out the body relatively quick.

Muscles May Become Imbalanced

The contracted muscles will remain in their shortened state if not sufficiently stretched. This tightness increases the wear and tear on your joints and decreases your range of motion due to the reduced ability of the muscles to extend, making future injuries more likely.

So what happens if I do stretch?

Flexibility

Stretching improves flexibility. The more you stretch, the more you move your muscles, and the more flexible you become. Over time, stretching will become easier for your body which results in improved flexibility.

Posture

Stretching is also beneficial to improve your posture. Poor posture can easily be reversed and healed with daily stretching. Because stretching strengthens your muscles and encourages proper alignment, your body posture will be less slouched and more vertical.

Injury Prevention

The more you prepare your muscles for any exercising movement, the more your likelihood of injury is decreased. When your muscles are warm and stretched, movement becomes easier and more fluid-like which helps with injury prevention.

Increased Nutrients and Reduced Soreness

Stretching increases blood supply to the muscles. Because stretching allows blood to flow through your body, the nutrients in the blood are being carried and spread all throughout your body as well. An increased blood and nutrient supply also helps reduce soreness thus reduced lactic acid build up.

I hope you feel more informed about the benefits of stretching. Lets all make a conscious effort to be more pro-active and make sure stretching becomes a part of our daily routine.