By Linda Melone
Stretching feels great and increases flexibility -- when done the right way. But not preparing properly or doing the stretch incorrectly can lead to injuries and inflexibility, the exact opposite of the results you want. Avoid these common mistakes for a safe, pain-free and effective stretching routine.
1. You bounce.
Bouncing at the end of your stretch (when done vigorously enough) can cause the muscle and tendon to tear, says Luga Podesta, M.D., sports medicine physician and rehabilitation specialist at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles. This “ballistic” stretching triggers a reaction within the muscle that prevents it from relaxing and ends up defeating the purpose of the action. Instead, Podesta recommends gradually elongating and holding the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, then release and repeat several times.
2. You're in the wrong position.
If you don't feel the stretch where you're expecting to feel it, you may be doing it wrong, says Phil Oliveri, a physical therapist with Rockford Spine Center in Rockford, Illinois. "Poor body positioning can cause you to miss the muscle you're aiming to stretch. Use a free hand to feel the muscle you are stretching. It should feel tight and then loosen after the stretch."
3. You stretch an injured muscle.
Stretching an injured muscle can make the damage even worse by worsening a tear, says Podesta. As a general rule, if muscle pain doesn't go away within several days, it's a good idea to get it checked by a physician. Once it's healed, gradually introduce low-intensity stretching according to your doctor's advice.
4. You stretch without warming up.
This is probably the most common stretching mistake: Stretching a cold muscle can cause a tear or rip, says Podesta. "You need a good warmup before you stretch, one where you break a sweat." That's probably 10 minutes or so, but might be longer for some people. A hot shower or heating pad can substitute in a pinch, but these don't work as well, says Podesta. That's because you're not moving and working the muscle like in a traditional warmup. [Note: Consider swapping static stretching for foam rolling in a warmup.]
5. You try too hard.
Like bouncing, pushing the stretch beyond your ability can cause the muscle to tear. "The muscle tendon complex to the bone can be damaged by contracting the muscle and then pushing," Podesta says. You should feel a little bit uncomfortable during a stretch, but it should never be painful. If you still feel tight, repeat the stretch several times while staying within your range of motion.
More from Health.com:
24 Fat-Burning Ab Exercises (No Crunches!)
Lose 10 Inches in 10 Days
18 Moves to Tone Your Butt, Thighs, and Legs
The 5 Worst Stretching Mistakes You're Probably Making originally appeared on Health.com
Americans spend almost half of their waking hours at work. For too many of us, much of that time is spent sitting in a chair. And when we leave our desk to go to a meeting or conference (to another chair, naturally), our thoughtful meeting host might be kind enough to put out some snacks or provide a meal. Croissants and donuts for a morning meeting, say, or white bread sandwiches with potato chips and a soda at a workplace lunch. Not exactly brain food.
The sad fact is that our sedentary and snack-filled workplaces help pack on the pounds and contribute to diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems.
We at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, in partnership with the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity, a 440-member-organization coalition, thought it would be useful to provide a toolkit for healthier meetings and events.
What follows are some of the toolkit's healthier substitutions for the meals, drinks, and snacks typically made available at workplace meetings and conferences. We hope to use this toolkit to convince HR directors, caterers, hotel chains, event planners, and some of our gracious bosses that it's easy to put together a satisfying and delicious meal or snack that won't undermine the health of their employees and guests.
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