What’s So Important About Stretching Before And After Exercise?

One of the most common mistakes our physical therapists The Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Center identifies among our clients of a wide variety of ages and fitness levels is the failure to properly stretch their muscles before and after engaging in physical activity. Whether you’re taking a brisk walk, running a marathon, lifting weights or moving furniture, stretching is an integral part of the process for attaining your goal and avoiding injury. Tight muscles don’t perform well and can cause other muscles and joints to compensate for them.

At our state-of-the-art facility, we never engage in an exercise routine without first making sure the client has engaged in a dynamic stretching routine that’s specific to whatever activity they’ll be performing and which injury or imbalance they are trying to correct. And after exercising, we stress the importance of stretching as part of the cool-down process.

Here are a few tips we often provide for our clients on when and how to stretch:

• Don’t stretch cold muscles or engage in a static stretching routine before exercising; rather, try a dynamic stretch that mirrors your workout but at a lower intensity, such as walking briskly or taking high steps and leg swings before a run. It’s advisable to start slowly and gradually build up the speed and power of the exercise or activity.

• Focus on stretching the major muscle groups including the lower back, hips, calves, hamstrings, and quadriceps.

•  The stretch you’re performing should induce muscle tension but never be painful. If the stretch causes any pain, it means you’ve probably pushed too far or too hard.

• Don’t stretch an injured muscle or joint unless advised to do so by a trained physical therapist. 

Flexibility is the key to fitness, performance and overall wellness. And achieving a proper stretching routine leads to greater flexibility. If you have questions about stretching or other rehabilitation and fitness matters, please contact our physical therapist at The Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Center today!