Stretching Is Important And Helps Your Muscles
Many people know that they are supposed to stretch. From physical education teachers, fitness instructors and their favorite workout videos, all recommend to stretch before as well as after exercise, says massage therapy St Albert clinic owner, Lianna Bergonia. She is an expert on the body, muscles, movement and healing. Not only is she the owner, but also a registered massage therapist, and a practitioner of manual osteopathic therapy.
Today, Lianna explains why stretching is important and helps your muscles, and recommends to not only stretch before and after exercising, but says it’s incredibly beneficial to stretch when you wake up, before bed, and to relieve tension. As well, she points out: many people’s favorite fitness activities include stretching of the body. Whether it’s yoga, Pilates or tai chi, for example, many people enjoy engaging in fitness activities that stretch their body, whether they know it or not.
There are so many reasons and benefits to stretching says Lianna. She tells her clients at her massage therapy St Albert clinic, Healing Point Massage Therapy that stretching is one of the most beneficial things they can do for their body, and helps each person find the stretches that will help them achieve their goals. Whether it’s relieving body aches and pains, healing from a injury, increase flexibility or even slow down the affects of aging on their body. There is a stretch for every body.
Stretching Improves Your Health
Everyone has had the experience of waking up, and yawning into a large, full body stretch. Doesn’t that feel amazing? Stretching increases the blood flow in our body, the sooner we stretch upon waking, the more awake we will feel. And after a period of disuse, like an eight hour sleep, it’s nice to gently ready the body for all the activities it will soon be doing, like showering, dressing, making breakfast and getting on with our day.
It also helps decrease muscle and joins stiffness, so that we can more easily do all these tasks, even as we age. Massage therapy St Albert clinic owner, Lianna Bergonia reminds people that the idea of losing our flexibility and mobility as we age doesn’t have to be our future.
Another great benefit of stretching is that it actually relaxes our muscles, which reduces our stress levels. Many people who love yoga say they come out of their routine or class, feeling like the weight of their world is no longer on their shoulders. It doesn’t just relieve stress though. RMTs at massage therapy St Albert clinic, Healing Point Massage Therapy says that as muscles stretch, so do blood vessels, reducing arterial stiffness, and thus, lowers blood pressure. In fact, studies show that gentle stretching is a more effective way at reducing blood pressure than brisk walking!
Massage Therapy St Albert | Stretching Increases Your Flexibility
A myth that so many people mistakenly believe, is that how flexible they are is as flexible as they will ever be, says massage therapy St Albert clinic owner, Lianna Bergonia. And as people age, they will naturally get less and less flexible. While it’s true, that we will get less flexible as we age if we do nothing, but there are so many things that we actually can do to help that, says Lianna.
Stretching actually helps improve our body’s flexibility, which increases the range of motion in our joints. While we may never be as flexible as when we were children, it’s possible to stop the hands of time on our stiff and sore joints, and even turn back the clock and move better, with the right stretching routine.
One of the first things that massage therapy St Albert clinic owner Lianna recommends, is to ensure everyone starts their stretching routine safely and effectively. A poorly executed stretch, or a stretch held too long, or pushed too far can do more harm than good. That being said, please consult your doctor, or your RMT at your next massage appointment to find out the best way to start specifically for your body.
Stretching Decreases Your Chances Of Injury
People have certainly heard the debate for years, says massage therapy St Albert clinic owner, Lianna Bergonia. Some words of advice recommend not stretching before physical activity, some do. But what is the truth for the average person? There have been many studies that show that stretching before strenuous physical activity for athletes is less beneficial.
They can decrease their muscle’s performance, but these are professional athletes, who are likely already stretching. Since the average person doesn’t have to worry about things like extreme muscular performance in competition, people shouldn’t worry. However, it is a possibility to hurt the muscles if you stretch too vigorously with muscles that haven’t been warmed up.
Contrary to what many people believe, stretching is not a warm up at all, says massage therapy St Albert clinic owner, Lianna. Stretching should only be done once the body is warm, so a quick 5 minute walk, jog or bike can get the blood flowing enough to stretch. Once your body is warm, the muscles have blood flow, and because they’ve already been moving during the stretch, you are much less likely to hurt a muscle by asking it to move more, or move faster than it is capable of before stretching.
Stretching Relieves Your Stiff And Sore Body
Though many people experience how good it feels to stretch, it’s still a mystery to people why. Sure, it increases blood flow, but is that what makes it so satisfying? Lianna Bergonia, RMT owner of Healing Point Massage Therapy St Albert says it has everything to do with biology. Simply put, stretching actually activates the body’s parasympathetic nervous system. In addition to that, many people believe it also releases endorphins, helping us feel even better.
Another reason why stretching is good for your stiff and sore body, is because it releases muscular tension. When our muscles are tense, not only are they sore from being tense, but they will be unable to heal and feel better. Gentle stretches encourage your muscles to give up that tension, making it more possible to heal. This is why many people love stretching with a foam roller, or a massage ball. These help target areas of stiffness or soreness, to help relieve the pain.
Contact Today!
If you would like to get started with a stretching routine, see one of the fantastic registered massage therapists at massage therapy St Albert clinic, Healing Point Massage Therapy. After your massage, they will be able to let you know the best stretches for your own body. Remember, start gently – a few stretches, five to 10 minutes a day just a couple times a week, and build up over time. You can combat your sore muscles, increase flexibility, feel good and be less likely to injure yourself. Get started today!