Enjoy your Sport without getting injured - PART 2

This has been some time coming...no doubt you were waiting with baited breath! And none of you will be surprised to hear that it is all about stretching.


Why is stretching so important?
  • Improves Range of Movement by placing parts of the body in certain positions, we can increase muscle length. This reduces tension and normal range of movement is increased.eg. when kicking a ball, the muscles at the back of the leg are put under lots of strain so it makes sense to warm up and stretch before playing football to increase flexibility and pliability of the muscles. That way an injury can be avoided.
  • Reduces Post-Exercise Muscle Soreness which happens when we start madly gardening in the spring/summer after the winter break or decide to get that body ready for the summer bikini (shock, horror) by overdoing it at the gym. The reason those muscles feel sore and tight, is that minute tears within the muscle fibres during exercise have caused blood to pool and waste products like lactic acid to accumulate. Stretching lengthens the muscle fibres, which increases blood circulation and removes waste products.

  • Reduces Fatigue which can be a major problem for anyone, especially those that exercise. It makes you physically and mentally drained. Muscles work in pairs. The "working muscle" or "agonist" works with the opposite or opposing muscle called the "antagonist". If the opposing muscles are more flexible, the working muscles do not have to work as hard against them.
Stretching ALSO :
IMPROVES POSTURE - DEVELOPS BODY AWARENESS - IMPROVES COORDINATION - PROMOTES CIRCULATION - INCREASES ENERGY - IMPROVES RELAXATION
For more advice and sports specific stretches, please contact Vanessa on:
T: 01491 577480 M: 07906186912 E:info@completeworxmassage.co.uk