What you need to do:
Incorporating daily stretching sessions for the whole body into your routine provides a number of health benefits, such as increasing flexibility, preventing muscle pain and improving mobility.
Why is this important?
Stress, a sedentary lifestyle and inappropriate postures contribute to muscle shortening and loss of mobility, affecting not only functionality but also our perception of the world around us.
In short, stretching improves posture, reduces the risk of injury, relieves muscle tension and promotes relaxation. It can also help with blood circulation and muscle recovery after physical activity. Studies show that maintaining flexibility throughout life helps preserve mobility in old age and reduces the incidence of falls.
How to do the basics:
- Stretch throughout the day, for example when you wake up and before you go to bed.
- Hold each position for at least 10 to 30 seconds, “forcing” the joints slightly, but respecting excesses and the pain threshold.
- Focus on the main muscle groups: legs, back, neck and shoulders. If you have time (and at least once a day), also stretch the smaller muscle groups.
- Breathe deeply while stretching for better results and greater relaxation.
More advanced aspects:
- Regular stretching isn't just for relaxing muscles and gaining or maintaining flexibility, although these are its main functions.
- Stretching is one of the most effective ways of promoting the health of tendons and ligaments, as long as it is combined with strength exercises and a healthy lifestyle.
- Techniques such as yoga, Pilates and calisthenics often include good stretching, which enhances the results.
- Adjust the stretches to your needs and your level of flexibility: there is no “general rule” about what would be ideal for everyone.
- Benefits for the body:
- Improves flexibility and mobility by increasing joint range of motion, preventing injuries and maintaining muscle functionality.
- Prevention of muscle and joint injuries by reducing muscle tension and avoiding pain, especially for those who practice physical activities or have a sedentary routine.
- Relieves muscle and joint pain caused by intense exercise, a sedentary lifestyle or poor posture.
- Improves blood circulation by stimulating blood flow and facilitating the transportation of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues.
- Improving body posture by correcting misalignments and helping to prevent and treat problems such as kyphosis, scoliosis and hyperlordosis.
- It improves balance and motor coordination by strengthening neuromuscular connections, preventing falls and imbalances, especially in the elderly.
- Accelerates muscle recovery by helping to eliminate post-exercise lactic acid, reducing late muscle pain.
- Reduces muscle tension and fatigue by promoting the relaxation of muscles contracted by stress or intense physical activity.
- Benefits for the mind
- Reduces stress and anxiety by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and mental balance.
- Improves concentration and focus, especially when combined with conscious breathing, improving attention and mental clarity.
- Increased mood and energy by stimulating circulation and improving oxygenation of the brain, reducing feelings of fatigue and lethargy.
- Decreased risk of emotional disorders by helping to regulate neurotransmitters, contributing to emotional balance.
- Benefits for the Spirit
- Promoting bodily self-knowledge by helping to raise awareness of the limits and capacities of one's own body, fostering a greater connection with oneself.
- Stimulating presence and mindfulness: when practiced with full attention, stretching helps to anchor the mind in the present moment.
- A feeling of well-being and inner harmony, providing a state of deep relaxation, aligning body, mind and spirit.
- Facilitation of energy flow (according to some practices such as Yoga and Traditional Chinese Medicine), by helping to unblock energy channels (meridians) and restore internal balance.
- Benefits for Social Relations
- Improved non-verbal communication, as a relaxed and aligned body conveys more confidence and receptiveness in social interactions.
- Reduced aggression and irritability, as muscle relaxation helps to reduce reactive impulses and maintain a more balanced behavior in social situations.
- Stretches are simple but extremely effective practices for promoting physical and mental health, as well as having a positive impact on spiritual and social life. Incorporating them into your daily routine can significantly improve your quality of life and contribute to longevity.
How I do it (or advise my patients):
- I recommend stretching daily, even for at least 10 minutes, covering the whole body at least once a day.
- I suggest seeking the proper prescription for a stretching routine from a physiotherapist or physical educator you trust or, until then, carefully following a good stretching class among the thousands available on the internet to start practicing.
A brief report of a REAL CASE:
An engineer in his 50s, he has always had the habit of walking a lot at work, every day, on construction sites. Without many symptoms, he improved his lifestyle following the advice of his latest check-up and, in recent months, began a routine of strength and weight training at the gym. Feeling better and better, he intensified his workouts to the point where he didn't have any rest days. However, he began to suffer from significant muscle pain, difficulty relaxing, less restful sleep, a feeling of tension, difficulty gaining muscle mass and some limitations in his range of movement, which made it difficult for him to perform some exercises in the gym.
After a consultation, I advised him to include a stretching routine throughout the day, in addition to reducing the apparent “overtraining” and with the regular muscle relaxation achieved and the maintenance of a good lifestyle, all the symptoms disappeared, even allowing him to resume gaining muscle mass.
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