Don't Forget The Importance Of Flexibility, Here Is Why
February 11, 2020
Flexibility is one of those terms that many associates with athletes, gymnasts or dancers. Often people focus fully on their cardio or endurance health but flexibility is overlooked.
Flexibility is defined as the range of motion in a joint or group of joints or the ability to move joints effectively through a complete range of motion. Flexibility is contributed to by a person's age, genetics, gender, body shape and level of physical activity. As people grow older, they often lose flexibility as a result of inactivity and the aging process itself.
The Difference Between Stretching And Flexibility
- Flexibility refers to the range of motion for a given joint. The degree of flexibility that a person has is influenced by muscles and connective tissues such as ligaments and tendons.
- Stretching is a form of exercise that can result in an increase in flexibility.
5 Ways Flexibility Impacts Overall Health
- Reduce Stress. We all have heard that stress has a negative impact on our bodies, but we aren’t always sure how to release that stress. Spending a few minutes doing simple, relaxing stretches before bed can be a great way to release tension and give your body a little extra love for all its hard work throughout the day. Taking this time to stretch and improve flexibility will reduce the amount of stress you’re carrying in your body, not to mention reducing the instinct to be negative and instead stretch your mind toward a more optimistic outlook.
- Heal And Prevent Back Pain. Having tight muscles can lead to a decrease in your range of motion increase the likelihood of straining the muscles in your back. Stretching can help to heal an existing back injury by stretching the muscles. Overly tight muscles tend to hold your body in a restricted position so joints become less mobile which can trigger the pain cycle.
- Reduce Injuries. When developing strength and flexibility in your body you’ll be able to withstand more physical stress as flexibility allows the body to move properly, reducing the overall chance of being injured. In short, expanding your muscle fibers will increase your flexibility and assist muscles in being more fluid, pliable and less prone to injury.
- Improve Posture. A typical day for so many people includes hours of being hunched over a desk or laptop so it’s no wonder our natural posture has become increasingly curved, slumped, and sore. Simply put, our bodies will adapt to the postures we spend the most time in, over time, causing shortened muscles that can cause more health problems. While we may not immediately recognize the damage our posture is doing, our body sure does. Poor posture can impact a wide range of things from how our blood circulates, produces hormones, all the way to how we feel in our bodies and how we’ll be able to move as we age.
- Better Athletic Performance. Stretching and improving flexibility can improve circulation, muscle flexibility, range of motion, thus, help athletes perform better in workouts and in competition. Stretching leads muscles to lengthen and relax, resulting in the ability to maximize muscle engagement in the next workout. Stretching also boosts the body’s circulation by increasing blood flow throughout the body helping it to heal and restore faster.
The Takeaway
It is easy to get caught up in a busy day or stick to the basic fitness program you are used to doing daily. If your interested in reducing injury, improving posture, and reducing pain then maybe it's time to take the time for more flexibility training in order to improve your overall health and wellness.
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Now that you know the top tips for finding a great chiropractor in St Petersburg FL, it's time to book an appointment. Here at Unified Chiropractic, we want to help you live a pain-free life.
If you're local to the Northeast Saint Pete area, you're more than welcome to come in to meet us face-to-face. We'd love to discuss your healthcare goals with you!