A Fitness Center Wellness Moment by Jermaine Alexander

It is well noted that a tight muscle is a weak muscle. That being said, more than 50% of Americans do not stretch on a regular basis, which leads to poor movement quality, lack of mobility, muscular imbalances, pain, and more importantly, acute and chronic injury. As a result of the aforementioned, our quality of life and movement efficiency begins to deteriorate.

The goal of stretching is to help restore our muscle tissue back to their normal length. When we live a sedentary lifestyle, as in lack of activity, (i.e., maybe you have a sit-down job or don’t move or exercise often), what tends to happen is that our muscle tissue begins to shorten and (wrinkle), sort of like a wrinkled shirt. It then develops knits/knots. In this shortened state, it restricts joint range of motion, mobility and our ability to get through different movement patterns efficiently without impedence, or worse pain.

Best practices would be for you to stretch your body in the way that it normally moves (i.e., in every plane of motion – sagittal, frontal and transverse plane) Also, stretches that include abduction as well as adduction stretches are recommended.

Keys To Success:

    • Improve tissue quality:
      • Foam rolling is a great way to improve tissue quality. It helps with circulation, warms the tissue up and prevents acute injuries from occurring. (Think of ironing a wrinkled shirt)
    • Active/Dynamic Warmups:
      • Dynamic warmups simulate how our bodies naturally move. This would mean movement in each plane of motion; sagittal, frontal, transverse. (Think of arm swings, leg kicks and trunk rotation)
    • Static: Passive, Active Stretching: Whether alone or with someone else, do some form of stretching daily. (Hold each stretch 15-30 seconds.)

Best Practices:

    • Improve your core strength and improve posture.
    • Stretch two to three days per week. Consistency is key.
    • Staying hydrated helps with tissue quality and the elasticity of your tissue.
    • Movement is key; be sure to get up and move.

Conclusion: Poor flexibility can lead to a host of other issues. Incorporate some movement activity into your daily routine. To prevent acute or chronic injuries from occurring, remember to improve tissue quality, active/dynamic warmup in every plane of motion and, most of all, restore your tissue to its natural length – STRETCH!