If there’s one thing that you can count on a physical therapist introducing into every session, it’s stretching. Yes, building strength and endurance is important. But whether you’re an athlete or someone coping with the aches and pains of arthritis, increasing your flexibility through stretching is crucial. Read on to learn more about some of the top benefits of stretching.
- Reducing pain
Arthritis is one of the most common causes of chronic pain among Americans. Treating the pain of arthritis is a huge reason to start stretching. Focusing on treating the painful joint can help reduce your pain, but we sometimes forget the sheer interconnectedness of our bodies.
For instance, people with hip osteoarthritis can benefit from exercises that target other parts of the lower body. Physical therapists often use stretches and strengthening exercises on the quads, glutes and hamstrings. One reason for this is that such exercises can help realign the joint. A medical study even shows that exercises can reduce hip pain by more than 30%.
- Enhancing athletic performance
Another reason to start stretching is it can improve athletic performance. If you’re an athlete, you know that the more conditioning your joints, ligaments and muscles get, the greater your advantage in your sport.
Bodybuilders can recover from their reps more quickly by stretching tightened muscles as a cool-down. Golfers can get a longer reach by increasing range of motion through the hips and shoulders. Swimmers can keep their strokes even by doing shoulder and arm stretches prior to getting in the pool. There are few competitive sports for which stretching doesn’t offer an advantage.
- Preventing injuries
Injury prevention is yet another reason you should start stretching regularly. There’s a certain amount of debate in the sports world about the degree to which pre- or post-workout stretching protects you from injury. But few people deny those stretches can contribute to injury prevention.
A tense, shortened muscle is often an injury waiting to happen because it doesn’t work at peak performance. When you stretch, you’re also increasing your range of motion. Additionally, your balance can also improve. All these factors can prevent you from making the types of moves that lead to injury. This includes moves like coming down too hard on one foot or twisting your back further than you should to compensate for a tight shoulder.
Find stretches that are effective for you at Panther Physical Therapy
Looking for more reasons to start stretching? Our physical therapists at Panther Physical Therapy are ready and willing to help you develop an individualized stretching program. We offer free screenings that can identify weak or overly tight muscles. Our team can then build you a personalized therapy program to address them that can include stretching and strengthening exercises.
Can’t make it into one of our therapy clinics? No problem! Our team offers several therapy services you can use without leaving home, including virtual therapy and at-home care. You can even start getting our help without first obtaining a doctor’s referral.
Contact our team today for more information about our helpful therapy services or to schedule your free screening.
Tags: Arthritis, Injury Prevention, Manual therapy, Physical Therapist, Physical Therapy