Last time I talked about what stretching doesn’t accomplish. Contrary to many people’s beliefs, it does not prevent injury or muscles soreness and it does not enhance athletic performance. This week I will write about the benefits of stretching and what it is good for.
First, stretching increases your circulation. It allows more blood to flow to your muscles, which brings nourishment and gets rid of waste in the muscle tissues. Increased circulation can help shorten your recovery time if you have had any type of muscle injuries. It can also help repair muscles in another way. As the tension increases in the connective tissues, the fibers align themselves along the same line of force as the tension. This helps to realign any disorganized fibers in the direction of the tension, which is what helps to repair scarred tissues.
Stretching can also help relax tight or tense muscles that often accompany stress. A good massage or a stretch can help loosen your muscles and make you feel a little better. Although stretching may feel good, it does not necessarily mean that it has any real therapeutic effects the same way as ice cream may taste good but it doesn’t have any healthy nutritional value. Keep in mind that stretching merely alleviates any pain or issues instead of really fixing it.
Additionally, stretching increases your range of motion and flexibility. When you stretch your muscles, the muscle fibers get elongated to their maximum resting length and the surrounding connective tissue also stretches. Though, being flexibly simply means that you can stretch your muscles much further without feeling extra pain. Your body has a stretch reflex that contracts any muscles that are stretched, but by prolonging a stretch you are building up a tolerance to it. The same thing can be applied to endurance running as anyone is physically capable of running for a very long time, but it is up to your body’s tolerance and mental will to keep on going. Yet, the more you run, the more you will be able to tolerate it.
Stretching isn’t good for preventing muscle soreness or injury, but it is very useful for maintaining healthy muscles with increased circulation, relaxed muscles, and better range of motion and flexibility. With a better range of motion, your coordination and balance will also improve. This can prevent you from falling down or losing your balance, which can prevent some possible injuries.
I hope you found all of my posts for this semester enlightening, and I hope you develop a curious mind that will give you a better understanding of life as a whole.