Stretching to avoid injury.
Table of Contents
Stretching helps prepare your muscles and tendons for movement, whether it’s to increase your flexibility or warm up.
With this stretching strategy, you not only manage to improve the capacity of your muscles and tendons when training, but you also make sure to protect your joints from injury.
Knowing how and when to include stretching is essential to take healthy actions on our musculoskeletal system. We will tell you all the details of this incredible resource below.
When should I stretch?
Stretching is a positive practice for the body that helps in a comprehensive way, improves muscle tone, flexibility in even blood circulation, favors the flow of oxygen to the body in addition to relieving pain from maintaining postures for a long time.
This means that stretches can be done at any time, but
It is most strongly recommended during the following times:
- Before and after cardio or weight training.
- Before, during or after the working day.
- Before going to sleep or when waking up to avoid cramps.
Before training, the body warms up and prepares to complete the exercise routine, this action protects the joints because the tendons are sufficiently prepared to carry out the movements without exceeding their limits.
While after training the effect is relaxing, it helps the muscles lighten the load they suffered during training in this way there is less post-workout pain.
On the other hand, we have training before or after work, some jobs are performed without too much freedom of movement, there are many people who work in front of a computer for hours.
Stretching at work is essential to avoid muscle pain in the long term, as well as to improve posture and avoid greater orthopedic problems in the future.
As we said at the beginning, stretching is a resource that contributes to overall health, by improving circulation these movements can prevent cramps and increase people’s quality of life.
Alright, what are the stretches I need to do to get these benefits? We tell you about them below.
Stretches before and/or after work.
Neck Rotation:
Mobilizing this area is essential to relax the body and mind before or after work.
You should sit on the bed, piece of furniture or floor with your back straight, hands on your lap and move your head gently. It is important that you do not feel pain but a refreshing stretch in the neck area.
Do circles with your head, five in one direction, and then reverse for five more repetitions.
Push with your hands:
Ideal for opening the shoulder blades and relaxing the back muscles.
You can remain seated or stand up, then place the palms of your hands in front of you, as if you were pushing something, slowly bend your elbows bringing your hands back, now you will notice how your shoulder blades seem to come together, the limit of this movement is set by your own body.
Lumbar relaxation:
One of the areas with the most load during the working day is the spine, it helps to release tension with this stretch.
Spread your legs hip-width apart and bend your body towards the floor from your hips, depending on your flexibility your hands can reach the floor, your knees or even hold on to a chair or wall. You should feel relief in your lower back and a gentle tension in the back of your thighs.
Stretching before sports.
Before training, it is of utmost importance to stretch focused on the area to be worked on with the exercise, that is, if you will have a leg workout we recommend stretching this area.
Leg and hip stretch:
Important to take care of the joints when lifting weights or practicing high-impact sports.
You can do a lunge, bring one foot forward, away from your other foot and bend that front knee. The pose should culminate with the back leg extended, feeling tension in the hip area. Then switch legs.
Remember that you should not feel pain during the movement, in addition to that the front knee should not exceed the tip of the foot, always modify and maintain a 90° angle in each movement.
Lumbar preparation:
Activating the muscles that stabilize the spine is also crucial before starting a workout.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with your hands at the sides of your torso and begin to lean from side to side without losing your posture, the intention is to bring your right hand to your right knee in a lateral movement and then vice versa.
Shoulders and back:
Make sure to prepare your upper joints before training.
Standing with your feet hip-width apart you should raise your right hand to the ceiling and then bring it to your left shoulder passing behind your head, then with your left hand pull the elbow and do the tension on the shoulder without demanding too much.
When you are ready, change the posture with the opposite arm.
What injuries can I get if I don't stretch properly?
As we started talking about the importance of stretching, we were able to highlight its ability to avoid injuries, during sports training the joints can be taken to the maximum and if the tendons are not prepared, tears, tendonitis and even ligament ruptures can be experienced.
These joint injuries are painful and immobilizing in some cases, all of which require a long recovery time.
Avoiding these situations is key to maintaining quality of life and a consistent healthy pace of exercise.