WHEN was the last time you gave your muscles a good stretch?
Although you might associate stretching with exercise warm ups and cool downs, it’s actually vital to do it regularly - ideally every day - whether you’re working out or not.
Believe it or not, staying flexible could actually help you to live longer.
A study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports found a strong link between good physical flexibility and mobility and a lower risk of death from natural causes.
Among men specifically, those with low flexibility scores were almost twice as likely to die during the 13-year study period compared to those with higher scores.
And the risk of early death for inflexible women was five times higher than those who were supple.
Scientists have long understood that poor flexibility could be an indicator of underlying health conditions, such as inflammation, and lead to pains and strains.
But despite the connection, many of us still don't make stretching a part of our daily, or even weekly, routines.
More than two thirds of the UK population struggle with stiff or tight muscles, according to research by PureGym, while 69 per cent struggle with poor flexibility and 71 per cent experience a painful back.
If this sounds like you, it’s time to get your flex on.
“Many of us spend much of the day sitting down, whether we’re in the car driving to the office, at work hunched over a keyboard or slouched on the sofa in the evening,” Carlo Scozzaro, a sports rehabilitation therapist at Myoset, says.
“All this sitting means our muscles are in the same position for long periods of time, so they become a little shorter and tighter.
“It means when we do come to move, they hurt and they’re unable to actually comfortably move like we want them to.
“Sitting for long periods can shorten hamstrings and hip flexors, for example.”
Throw in poor posture, which can put even more strain on various muscles (such as your shoulders, neck and back) and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.
Carlo adds: “Tight muscles can then impact joints as muscles pull on joints, supporting our movement.
“When muscles are tight, we might not be able to move our joints through their full range of motion.
“Take your knee for example; if your leg muscles are tight - primarily your quads and hamstrings - you might not be able to move your knee comfortably.
“When movement becomes uncomfortable, you’re less likely to want to move in the first place, so you might then end up in a vicious circle of limiting your movement and becoming stiffer and more uncomfortable.
“But, stretching helps to keep muscles mobile, so you can age comfortably, moving as you wish.”
Want to boost your flexibility? Give these three stretches a try.
Do them every morning and evening - upon waking and before bed - and see if you feel a difference.
You never know, it could even give your life expectancy a boost.
1. Lying down glute stretch
Lie down with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent.
Place one ankle on the opposite knee. Then, use your hands to pull your knee towards your chest to help deepen the stretch.
At this point you should feel a stretch in your glute.
Hold the position for 10 to 15 seconds before swapping sides.
If you fancy doing this stretch during the day, you can try it from a seated position on a chair.
Sit up tall, take your left ankle over your right thigh and lean forward, pressing your left knee down gently.
Your glute muscles are the biggest muscle in your body.
When they’re tight, you may experience a sore back, knees and hips thanks to poor posture, so this one is great for those of us who sit at a desk all day.
2. Hip flexor release
Start on all-fours with the palms of your hands under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
Take your right leg forward so you’re in a low lunge with your back left knee on the floor. Your torso should be upright.
Then, keeping your hips forward, take your left arm, stretch it up overhead and then lean over to the right, taking your left arm over to the right side.
You should feel a good stretch down the left side of your body.
Push forward slightly into your lunge too; this way, you will help to stretch your hip flexors.
For support, place your right hand on your hip.
Hold this for 10 to 15 seconds before swapping sides.
Explaining the importance of the hip flexors, Carlo says: “These are a group of important and often overlooked muscles in the front of your upper thigh.
“They essentially help you bend and lift your legs.
“So when you run and walk, for example, your hip flexors are working.
“Sitting for ages tightens and weakens the hip flexors, so you might end up with pain in this area.”
3. Deep squat
You’ll need to find something tall to hold onto for this; the edge of a door frame works well.
This is your anchor and it should be stable and able to resist your pull.
Get into a low squat, holding onto your tall anchor point (door frame).
Keep your back flat and use your anchor to help you stay in your deep squat position.
Your hips should be lower than the bend in your knees and your feet need to remain flat on the ground.
Hold this for 10 to 15 seconds or for as long as you feel comfortable.
Carlo says: "Boosting mobility in your hips can really help to ease a tight or sore back."
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