Philip J. Goscienski, M.D.
August 2006
"How do they do that?" As someone who has never been able to touch his toes even as a child, I wince as I watch an acrobat bend so far backward that she can face the audience with her head between her knees.
Very few people can become contortionists but everyone should do some stretching exercises with every workout. The tendons that attach muscle to bone and the ligaments that hold bones together lose their elasticity with aging. That loss of elasticity occurs earlier in life if those tendons and ligaments do not receive regular stretching.
Stretching helps to relieve the tightness that occurs in muscles during work, play or exercise and it may prevent some of the delayed soreness that sometimes occurs when you have not exercised for a while.
Why should you bother? The longer you can retain your youthful flexibility the greater the range of motion of your joints. That makes life's daily chores easier and it lowers the risk of injury. You'll feel more relaxed after a few minutes of stretching.
Never stretch at the beginning of a workout. Give your body at least 5 minutes to warm up and for blood flow to reach all areas. A tendon is like a rubber band; it may snap when it's cold. Warm up by walking on a treadmill at an easy pace or around the fitness center. During mild weather park at a distance from the front entrance to the gym. That warm-up also gets your heart and muscles ready for some strenuous activity, opening up more blood vessels to allow the maximum delivery of oxygen.
Stretching is a good way to end your workout because it gives you time to cool down at the end of your walk or gym session. Give yourself about five minutes to do 7 or 8 different types of stretches, each taking about 30 seconds. You should feel tension, not pain, while you're stretching.
There's no rule that says that you must do all the stretches at one time. You might find it easier to do one stretch at a time in between exercises after you have warmed up.
It's worth getting some instruction from a fitness instructor if you are new to stretching. Doing it the wrong way won't do much for you and it could lead to injury. Just like exercise, go slowly in the beginning. And don't do a bouncy stretch!
Don't expect quick results. Even if you stretch several times a week you won't see much difference for a couple of months. In fact, normal progress is so slow that you won't even be aware of it until you find yourself bending over comfortably to pick up a dropped paper clip or earring without a creak or a groan.
After you've been stretching for a few months you may find that it's the most relaxing and enjoyable part of your workout — especially when you feel the results. And when you are able to bend backward and look out through your knees, let me know!
Philip J. Goscienski, M.D. is the author of Health Secrets of the Stone Age, Better Life Publishers 2005. Contact him at drphil@stoneagedoc.com.