We provide this free health resource to visitors of the Community Room of SeniorSSuperStoreS in an effort to keep baby boomers, seniors and the elderly informed of matters that can affect their lifestyle.

Nearly everyone stretches their muscles several times throughout the day. We often perform simple stretches when we wake up in the morning to improve blood flow and prepare for the day. Many people also stretch their legs at work after sitting or working long hours. While this type of stretching is easy and at times almost involuntary, developing and maintaining good flexibility throughout the body takes a little more work.

The Cost of Inactivity

Basically, our bodies work by the "use it or lose it" principle with regard to strength and flexibility. If muscle is no longer under stress, or called upon to produce torque (force causing rotation), the muscle will gradually weaken and decrease in size. Similarly, human beings can lose muscle flexibility without proper maintenance. For example, if we don’t constantly use the entire length of our muscles and the range of motion of our joints, the muscles will shorten and the joint will stiffen and become less mobile.

The lack of flexibility can have detrimental effects on our bodies. For instance, tightness of the hamstrings limits the ability to maintain a proper lifting position and may lead to a low back injury. In addition, capsular tightening around joints due to lack of movement can lead to premature wearing of the joint surfaces.

Muscle tightness can also cause muscle imbalances across a joint and alter the functioning of the joint. For example, a person with large, tight pectoral muscles can experience a change in the body’s scapula (shoulder blade) which in turn compromises the rotator cuff muscles and the shoulder joint itself.

Flexibility and Athletics

With regard to sports, athletes recognize that flexibility is critical to performance and prevention of injury. Athletes consistently take their muscles to the limits of movement during competition. During the activity, they must work to maintain optimum length of the muscles to avoid muscle pulls, strains or tears.

Just as muscles require stress to stimulate growth, tension must be applied to the muscles to promote lengthening. If tension is applied to the muscle regularly, the muscle will undergo adaptive lengthening. While stretching a muscle requires several minutes, the process of adaptive lengthening takes several days to several weeks.

Proper Flexibility Training Techniques

When you begin a stretching or flexibility routine, remember to never "bounce" during a stretch, but apply a gentle or tolerable tension on the muscle and hold it for a count of 20. This allows the connective tissue in the muscles as well as the muscle fibers to be stretched to their full length. Bouncing, on the other hand, actually increases tone in the muscle and prevents it from being fully stretched. As you hold a stretch, try to relax as much as possible and exhale slowly to get a full stretch. In general, each muscle should be stretched three to five times, several times each day to promote adaptive lengthening.

Common Flexibility Exercises

As indicated, the pectoral muscles of the chest are a common site of excessive tightness, influencing posture as well as the mechanics of the shoulder. In an effort to relieve this tightness, you can perform a common exercise called the "corner stretch." To perform this stretch, stand facing a corner, place your hands on the opposing walls with your elbows out to the side and parallel to the floor. Slowly lean into the corner until you feel a comfortable stretch. Experts recommend holding the stretch for twenty seconds and repeating it three to five times.

In the lower extremities, the hamstring group is often the location of tightness and decreased length. There are many ways to stretch the hamstrings, but often the gluteals and the erector spinae on the back are stretched along with the hamstrings. To isolate the hamstrings, sit with one leg extended in front of you on a table or bench, with the other leg handing off to the side. Keeping the arch in your lower back, try to touch your navel to your thigh. By keeping the back straight, you can stabilize your pelvis and eliminate stretching of the back. Remember to hold the position for 20 seconds and avoid bouncing.

With proper planning and a dedication to exercise, you can build muscle and increase flexibility. Remember, tailoring a routine to meet your specific needs can make the difference in training and experiencing the benefits of your program.

(Courtesy of David Vaughn at Vaughn, Buchanan Shelley and Associates, Physical Therapists, in Greenville, South Carolina, phone 864-234-5842.)

And, if you overdo it in your stretching and exercise program and those muscles ache, we have just what you need. We feature several relaxation products in our HEALTH PRODUCTS department.