Stretch to improve your posture
When it comes to exercise, (weights /cardio); stretching is usually considered the least important part of your exercise routine.
When you’re at the gym, you will skip stretching before skipping a weight or cardio exercise.
Why is this…?
Most people find stretching is boring! But the good part about stretching is that it doesn’t take that long to do, and the pros far outweigh the cons.
How Does Stretching Help
Improves posture: The muscles in the back generally are considered postural muscles. Your anterior (front of the body) muscles are your action muscles. Over usage of the anterior muscles can cause postural dysfunction leaving the postural muscles tired and fatigued.
Stretching the anterior muscles can release pressure of the postural muscles aligning the body and straightening your posture.
Increase flexibility: Being inflexible means your muscle fibres are tight, overworked and basically lifeless. Stretching those tight muscles expands the fibres, increases circulation and lets the muscles breathe a bit therefore increasing flexibility.
Increase joint range of movement: Virtually all muscles surround joints. If the muscles are excessively tight around the joint it is unable to move properly.
Conclusion
After a Myotherapy session, a person often reports that they feel a lot different, compared with when they walked in. Not only do you physically feel relaxed and loose but also mentally you can feel a weight is taken off your shoulders and you’re less stressed.
This sensation may last for hours, days, or weeks, and then stresses of normal life come back again.
A great way to get that feeling back yourself is to have a good stretch!!
If you would like more help with stretching please ask your therapist and they can advise.
By Rob Parry (Myotherapist)
