Since COVID-19 still has many people working from home, it’s especially important to maintain a healthy posture while sitting at your home office or your kitchen table!
One way to help prevent an aching back or neck is to take some regular breaks to simply stretch and these need only be for 2-3 minutes.
Here is a link to some very easy and simple stretches you can do at your work-station
If you are a regular golfer, tennis player, runner, cyclist or even if you just walk regularly for fitness – you will feel the benefits immediately when you incorporate a stretching regime into your warm-up and cool-down sessions. Stretching the main muscle groups that you will be using during your session not only increases blood flow, but also kick starts the brain into what is about to happen. Think of a tennis player stretching their shoulders and legs or a golfer stretching the muscles along the spine to allow for maximum rotation through the spine and pelvis.
Stretching after you finish your session also tells the brain that you are now slowing down, and the need for an increased blood flow to those areas is no longer required. Think of that ‘pump class’ when you are tapering off before the instructor sends you on your merry way.
There are many different types of stretches and these include:
- Static – where you hold a joint in a position that stretches a group of muscles
- Dynamic – where a joint is moved through a given range of motion at a pace and may also include some ballistic movements relevant to the activity about to be undertaken.
- PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) – sometimes referred to as partner stretching or CRAC which is a more specialised form of stretching. This is often used in treatments as well.
Remember the two main points when stretching are:
- Stretch to strain – not to pain!
- Hold for 20 to 30 seconds
If you would like some more information or help with your particular sport or activity, or if you just want some further information regarding stretching – call us NOW!
