Dr Seema Grover, Senior Consultant, PHYSIOTHERAPY AND REHABILITATION, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi
Over time, amidst the pandemic, many people are forced to attain very different lifestyles. Working, attending classes from home has become new normal due to which taking care of health has become an utmost priority. For this sedentary lifestyle, a component of Physical activity/ exercises is stretching exercises. We are aware exercise improves physical health, reduces the risk of serious illness, increases energy, strength, balance, fitness and a feeling of positivity to manage the day to day work with more ease and confidence. It also helps people in losing and maintaining body weight.
The human Body is complex having many systems functioning in harmony. Musculoskeletal system has bones, ligaments, tendons and one of its components is muscle. Muscles are made of millions of strands of fibers. These fibers are overlapped, layered and bundled to form the muscular tissue. During stretching exercise elongation of the muscle fibers helps in the reorganization of tissue strands and boosting blood circulation. This boosting of circulation helps in providing nutrients and oxygen within the muscles. Exercise also helps in reducing achiness in muscles by releasing waste products which builds up in the muscles with lactic acid.
When it is needed to start the stretching exercise?
- For athletes, sports people, children dynamic stretching before games can improve their performance. Stretching adds to relaxation & cool down after a vigorous workout. Stretching improves flexibility & prevent injuries.
- A Bad Posture is another alarming state for starting exercise. Muscles become tight due to constant sitting or standing activities or wrong ergonomics, overuse, repetitive activity causing postural pains associated with awkward movement or strain to the muscles , stretching exercises may help in combating it.
- Pain while working from home on computers in wrong posture alters biomechanics & alignment for muscles working over joints adding to stress to adjacent muscles, tendons and ligaments. As the shoulders hunch forward and spine rounds out and thus certain muscles have to overwork and antagonist or opposite muscles are lengthened leading to pain and other symptoms. Stretching improves blood circulation in muscles & help in relieving pain.
- A Headache with neck pain of muscular origin is another sign for starting up some stretching exercise. Due to regular computer use in awkward position neck muscles misalign joints and can give headaches.
- Stiffness causing reduced movement is another sign which needs some stretching. While bending, twisting and lifting things , if someone experiences a stretch and pain in muscles, then one should start stretching exercises to improve flexibility to prevent injury .
Some Easy Stretching Exercises
Getting yourself up and moving in the morning is not an easy task to do. But to combat the feeling of sluggishness, aches and muscle tension caused by less physical activity, stretching exercises can be the best measure. Stretching could help in relaxation, increasing flexibility, reducing lower back pain and helping in managing other health conditions as well. Here is the list of stretches one can do at his own comfort being home.
Stretching exercises in Bed: Hamstrings stretch, Knees to Chest, Spinal twist.
Stretching exercises while sitting: Neck Stretches, Upper back stretches, Shoulder stretch.
Stretching exercises while standing: Side stretch, Hamstring stretch, Quad stretch, Calf stretch.
Stretching exercises are beneficial if done correctly . It should be slow ,sustained stretch with body guiding to stretch in an easy way,3-5 times per week. Be consistent in doing stretching exercises, breathe out while stretching, gradually muscles will become flexible. If any sharp or shooting pain persists, consultation with a doctor or physiotherapist is always recommended.
