Flexibility is vital for maintaining your ability to perform daily tasks and move with ease.
In addition to improving your range of motion, being flexible can decrease your risk of injury and falls.
Flexibility exercises (stretches) are essential for all age groups and can easily be incorporated into your day.
Oscar Wong / Getty Images
Oscar Wong / Getty Images
So Flexibility Is Important, But Why?
Flexibility isn’t just about bending over and touching your toes.
Being flexible means that your joints have more range of motion, and you could move more freely.
Inflexibility causes structures in and around your joints to tighten and shorten.
Tight muscles can cause poor posture and increase the risk of injury with movement.
Decreased flexibility in one part of the body can cause issues in other parts.
This can lead to aposterior pelvic tilt, which then affects the alignment of your spine.
Poor spine alignment can lead to pain and issues with your lower back, neck, and shoulders.
A 10-minute walk or another form of aerobic activity should do the trick.
Research shows that warming up beforestretchingincreases muscle elasticity and reduces the risk of injury.
Stretching exercises helpimprove flexibility.
When you’re just starting out, aim to hold each stretch for 30 seconds.
As you become more comfortable with stretching, increase the time to one to two minutes.
When your goal is to increase flexibility, perform your stretches statically.
However, exercise has been shown to counteract these changes and extend the lifespan.
Exercises to Target Flexiblity With Chronic Pain
Chronic painis pain that lasts longer than 12 weeks.
Physical activity helps you build strength and flexibility and can improve some of the underlying causes of chronic pain.
Other benefits of exercise with chronic pain include:
Consult a healthcare provider before exercising with chronic pain.
Some activities, including stretches, could worsen your condition or increase pain.
See a physical therapist for an individualized exercise program tailored to your specific health condition.
Summary
Flexibility is the ability to move your joints without restriction.
Flexibility exercises help improve your range of motion.
They can also decrease your risk of falls and injury during daily activities.
Stretches improve blood flow to your joints and increase the production of synovial fluid to keep your joints lubricated.
You should stretch daily and target major muscle groups throughout the body.
Flexibility exercises are beneficial for people with chronic pain.
Improved mobility can lead to decreased pain and improved quality of life.
Flexibility exercises also help combat the effects of aging on the body.
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