How Can Stretching Help Your Body Stay Healthy ?

Don't live in the gym there are techniques that you can do at home to increase your overall health and prevent future injury. Stretching or yoga at home is a wonderful way to decrease stress and stay healthy. Here are a few good reasons you should opt for stretching daily. 

 

1. Flexibility

Stretching, as the name signifies, refers to how much a muscle can lengthen. As we get older, muscles tend to get shorter and tighter. Weight lifting helps with muscle hypertrophy and growth while physical activity improves muscle coordination. Yet muscle fibers if not stretched can become tight, fibrous and shortened. Everyday tasks such as tying your shoes or lifting are much easier when muscle firing patterns are correct and muscle fibers stay elastic.

2. Pain Relief

Stretching is great for patients who suffer from back pain and arthritis to reduce irritation and aggravation of the joints. Chiropractors often suggest stretching the muscles such as psoas, scalene, levator scapulae, quadriceps, hamstrings, hip and pelves, etc. in order to provide lower back-pain relief.

3. Improved Posture

Sitting for prolonged periods may lead to postural deviations and changes than increase pressure on lumbar discs which can ultimately lead to herniation or bulges. If posture is not corrected early a chronic condition can form leading to unfortunate consequences a in the future. Stretching helps add mobility to your joints thus decreasing wear and tear on ligaments and tendons. Some specific areas of the body such as neck, chest, lower back and shoulders are often stretched to address bad posture.

4. Better Blood Circulation

Stretching enables better blood circulation throughout the body with the joints, cartilage, tendons, ligaments and muscles. This further promotes healing of injured area with more nutrients from the blood nourishing damaged tissues.

5. Range of Motion

Stretching is the most popular way to help stiff joints and muscles. More mobility and agility provides an increased range of motion decreasing chance of injury or muscle tears. Although these benefits are equally beneficial at any age, they particularly become more critical as we age. Try a yoga class and ask your chiropractor or physical therapist which exercises would be the best for your body and specific condition.