Intense physical activity can be extremely rewarding, as it helps burn calories and shapes the body beautifully. However, jumping right into it can lead to unpleasant sports injuries that greatly hinder performance. Due to this, many professional athletes and trainers recommend stretching before any exercise session.
For this to be effective, you need to pay attention to every single fiber in the body. For example, DefendYourHealthcare.us emphasizes the importance of stretching the hip flexor muscles thoroughly before any workout. By integrating moves that prepare them, as well as all the other muscles for the physical activity to come, you are ensuring your wellbeing.
How to Avoid Sport Injuries
Sports injuries don’t happen to professional athletes only. In fact, anyone can be subject to them regardless of what their skill set is. You can sprain an ankle by simply walking in the park as usual, so it comes as no surprise that various incidents can occur during bouts of intense physical activity. The most common ailments include:
• dislocations and sprains;
• muscle pulling and spraining;
• shoulder injuries;
• knee injuries;
• shin splints;
• and tendinitis.
These damages can have both short and long-term effects on athletic performance. Although sometimes they are inevitable, prevention will always be the best medicine. For this reason, you need to adopt a thorough stretching routine that will warm you up before any training session or important event.
It’s important to start off slow and build intensity along the way, otherwise stretching can become counterproductive. What is more, it’s important to keep your routine as varied as possible to avoid your body from getting too used to the same motions day in, day out. Fortunately, there are plenty of exercises you can choose from.
The Ideal Stretching Routine
According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, stretching before a workout keeps the body flexible. Repeating a similar routine afterward extends the benefits even more. This diminishes the risk of injury, especially in the area of the ankles and knees. Nevertheless, the entire body needs to be engaged. Here are five simple moves that will help with that.
1. Standing Quad Stretch
Using the wall or a chair for additional support, raise your right foot behind the body. With your right hand, grasp its ankle and pull it towards your bottom. Always have your feet forward and knees close while doing this, so that the thigh can be stretched properly. Hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch on the left side.
2. Forward Lunge
Lunges are a classic way to stretch the body during warmup. To perform the forward lunge, kneel on your right knee and place the left leg forward, then lean in to stretch the inner thigh. Hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch on the other side. For an added boost of flexibility, you can try side lunges where the bend happens laterally, not back and forth.
3. Butterfly Stretch
Sit down and bring the soles of your feet in front of you, then place them together. Pressing your knees onto the floor, put your hands on their inside and lean into the ground while pushing down. Make sure that the forward motion starts from the hips so that you maintain proper posture and hold for 20 to 30 seconds yet again.
4. Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
As previously mentioned, the hip flexors are some of the most overlooked muscles in the human body. To warm them up properly, perform a set of kneeling hip flexor stretches. Start by kneeling down with your left leg up and place your left hand on the hip. Tighten the glutes and reach around the body to grab the foot. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch sides.
5. Knees to Chest
Finally, the knees to chest stretch is the easiest one on the list. In fact, you can either start with it to make the transition smooth or leave it for the end to seize the opportunity for relaxation. To perform it correctly, simply lie on the floor and bring your knees to your chest. Then, rock gently back and forth for 30 seconds, and you’re done.
Final Thoughts
Stretching every single muscle in the body before working out is essential if you want to avoid being the victim of uncomfortable sports injuries. This type of warmup keeps the body flexible and improves performance as well. And by continuing with the routine after the exercise session is over as well, you are diminishing risks even more.
