Flexibility and Stretching

The moving ability of a joint in a full range of motion is called as flexibility of the joint. Flexibility is the capability to stretch your legs, arms, and some other joints of human body. Flexibility is special for a given movement or joint. An individual can not work properly if their joints do not have normal movement. The movement ability of a joint through sufficient movement range is significant for daily general activities as well sports activity. Activities such as ballet, gymnastics, diving, yoga and karate needs improved flexibility of joints. It is also the softness of your muscles and ligaments around the joint. Stretching is the key of flexibility; it plays an important role in improving flexibility.

Sufficient movement range may be so important for injury prevention for a long time. Then person involved in physical activity that have poor flexibility of their joints, risks beyond the extensibility limits of musculoskeletal limit. Once flexibility is charged and flexibility deficiency is placed, a stretching program should be customized, highlighting the areas that need for improvement.

Why Flexibility is so important

Flexibility is the most important part of our exercise to decrease the possibilities of injury. There are several benefits of improving your flexibility. Some of the most important benefits are as follows: -

1. Flexibility helps you in improving your performance. When your joints are flexible then they will take smaller amount energy for moving in their greater range of motion.
2. It helps you in preventing soreness and injury. Stretching improves your muscular balance and ralaxations and also decreases the reisistnace of your tissues, that’s why you are less likely to be sore or injured.
3. It also helps you in increasing the blood supply and nutrient for your joints and its surrounding tissue. This in turn encourages greater suppleness and improved performance of your joints.
4. Flexibility improves your muscles coordination. It helps your muscle group for working together and it improves coordination of your joints.

How can you increase your flexibility

There is two things commonly popular about stretching that you should keep in your mind while stretching. The first thing among them is – “Use it or Lose it” – your tendons, muscles and ligaments require a constant reminder of their capability of stretch. It is very significant to stretch all of the groups from your toes to your neck. And the second thing is –‘Over time, not Overnight” – increasing in flexibility takes time, it can not be done overnight. Work it at every chance that you get for it.  Following are some tips that you should keep in mind while stretching to improve your flexibility: -

1. Stretch regularly whereas it is possible.
2. You should warm up before starting stretching, never stretch with cold muscles.
3. Stretch only till the position where you feel tug, you shouldn’t feel pain.
4. Hold each stretching exercise for ten to twenty seconds, then relax for few seconds and then repeat.
5. Always stretch both sides of the body (left and right) in the same way.