A Primer of Stretching Exercises
Why stretch?
Stretching reduces aches and pains of daily living.
Research shows that a regular regimen of stretching and flexibility exercises can improve your quality of life. This was measured in adults 65 years and older who participated in a study that tested the effects of two types of activities on physical performance and well-being *. One group performed strength and endurance exercises and another performed stretching and flexibility exercises. At the end of one year, both groups improved in the respective activities they were engaged in. However, only the stretching and flexibility group reported fewer aches and pains in daily living. It was concluded that stretching is a viable means to improving one’s quality of life.
Strength training and cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise are essential to maintain your required strength and stamina for daily living. Stretching and flexibility exercises will reduce stress, and strain on your body due to loss of flexibility with aging. Stretching may play a more important role in decreasing pain.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, reductions in flexibility are evident in the 3rd decade of life and progress with aging. We’ve all experienced times when undue muscle tension has produced discomfort or pain with normal, everyday movement. These times may have followed illness, injury, fatigue or extended periods of inactivity (like sitting or driving for prolonged time, or when rising in the morning). We seem to be increasingly susceptible to this as we age. Stretching properly will help you relax, reduce tension in your muscles, improve circulation to the muscles and enhance your freedom of movement (i.e. flexibility). All of this amounts to slowing part of the aging process.
What are stretching exercises?
Stretching exercises are any movements performed, or positions held, in order to decrease tension in muscles and increase flexibility. Flexibility refers to the available range of motion of your body parts. Muscle tension refers to contraction in the muscle fibers, or the amount of resistance to lengthening of a muscle due to electrical activity from nervous system. Stretching exercises are generally performed to increase joint range of motion (i.e. flexibility), or to decrease muscle tension.
Good flexibility is desirable for optimal movement of your body parts. Decreasing undue muscle tension improves circulation to the muscles. This means better oxygenation and nutrition to the muscles, as well as waste removal. Reducing muscle tension and increasing circulation to the muscles also increases their suppleness. This improves their ability to absorb the shock and stress of every day movements, as well as athletic activity.
The three main types of stretching exercises are:
- Dynamic stretches include coordinated movements, sometimes including bouncing or rapid type movements. These are more often helpful as part of a warm up routine for athletic participation.
- Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) is a method using various contractions of the intended muscles and their antagonists. PNF is often used as a therapeutic aid to increase range of motion, muscle coordination and correcting specific neuromuscular dysfunction. It is also used for preparation to athletic participation. Dynamic and PNF methods of stretching require skilled coaching to perform adequately and safely.
- Static stretching involves holding positions that impart gentle stretch to the muscles. Static stretching exercises are easier and safer to perform, thus more readily available for the general population, as home exercises.
When should you stretch?
Your body is a constantly adapting organism. If you move and stretch regularly, your body will more readily remain pliable (supple). Muscles will adapt to the position in which they are most often placed. The longer you sit still, the more likely some muscles will stiffen. When we sit, the muscles in front of our hips (the hip flexors) and in the back of thigh and knee (hamstrings) are in a shortened position. When we stand to walk the hip flexors and hamstrings need to lengthen to allow our hips, knees and backs to function properly. Placed in the shortened position as in sitting for hours on end, day after day, these muscles naturally tend to shorten. Without regular intervention, as in physical activity and stretching, it becomes harder and harder for these muscles to achieve the optimal length for allowing normal function of our joints. Hence, it becomes increasingly difficult to stand upright and move freely.
Stretching exercises should be performed frequently and regularly. Everyone should stretch a little every day. This helps counteract the adaptations to poor muscle length acquired from those less-than-optimal postures, in which we spend a lot of time.
How to Stretch
It is best to stretch when muscles are warm and pliable to improve flexibility. Ideally, a brief bout of light physical activity for about ten minutes will increase blood flow and make the muscles more pliable. This makes your muscles more receptive to the length imparted on them by stretching exercises. If you start slow and progress slowly stretches can be performed at any time. The key is to know that going slow and easy, and holding gentle stretches for longer periods (up to 30 seconds, or more), will allow the muscle fibers to relax. In order to increase the length and extensibility of muscle fibers, they need to be relaxed. Rapid stretches and strong pulls will cause muscles to reflexively contract. This response is a natural reflex our bodies have to protect us against injury. It is imperative to bypass this stretch reflex by acting slow and gentle when doing static stretching exercises.
Stretching should never cause pain. You should always feel relaxed and refreshed from a stretching routine. You should know the reason for a particular stretch and which muscle region you are targeting. This will help you focus on the positive effect, at the desired body part. If you feel any strain on other body parts, while trying to focus on a particular region, you should reposition yourself, or learn an alternate stretch that focuses particularly on your target area without straining anywhere else. Coaching from a fitness professional will help you tailor exercises to your specific needs.
Sources:
Science of Flexibility, 2nd Edition: Alter, M.J., Human Kinetics, 1996
“The Recommended Quantity and Quality of Exercise for Developing and Maintaining Cardiorespiratory and Muscular Fitness, and Flexibility in Healthy Adults.” Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise: Vol.30, No.6, 1998, Position Stand by the American College of Sports Medicine.
* "Comparative effects of two physical activity programs on measured and perceived physical functioning and other health-related quality of life outcomes in older adults.” Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, Vol. 55, Issue 2, M74-M83, 2000, by the Gerontological Society of America.
_____________________________________________
This primer of stretching is intended to encourage you to consider doing some stretching on most days of the week. Click here to select from a number of detailed instructions on stretching exercises. The instructions were prepared by Domenic Lopez, B.Sc., ACSM Certified Health Fitness Specialist®.