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 Your body is an amazing piece of machinery that runs 24 hours a day. And physical activity can help your body perform even better. Join Body Power, HMSA's three-week program, and learn about stretching and other basics of physical fitness.
Give it a Stretch
We all can include stretching exercises in our daily routine.
Stretching helps preserve your body’s flexibility. However, if you’ve had recent physical problems such as surgery, arthritis or bursitis, or if you’ve experienced nausea, trembling, difficulty breathing, chest pain, or any uncomfortable symptoms while exercising in the past, please check with your physician before starting a stretching routine.
A stretching routine should begin with low-intensity warm-up activities using the body’s large muscle groups in the arms and legs. Walking or marching in place while using gentle arm action (at chest level or higher) gradually increases your heart rate and circulation. This warms your muscles from the inside out. Several minutes is usually all that’s needed to get your blood flowing enough to make your muscles more receptive to stretching.
Stretching relaxes and lengthens your muscles to prepare them for the day’s activities, or for more strenuous physical activity. This increased flexibility helps prevent muscle cramps as well as muscle and joint injuries.
If you stretch at the end of the day or after a workout, you’ll help your tired and sore muscles recover faster by increasing blood circulation (like a good massage).
When you stretch, keep the following points in mind:
- Relax and enjoy yourself.
- Breathe normally. Don’t hold your breath.
- Avoid quick, jerky or bouncing movements.
- Stretch until you feel a slight tension or gentle pulling sensation in the muscle, but don’t overstretch. If it’s painful, you’re over-stretching or stretching improperly.
- Hold the stretch for at least 15 to 30 seconds or during six to eight deep breaths.
- Avoid comparing yourself with others. Their capacity for flexibility may differ from yours.
Warm Ups
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Neck Stretch
- While sitting or standing
- Perform exercise slowly maintaining good posture (shoulders square, pelvic tilt, abdominals tight)
- Look to the right
- Look to the left
- Bring right ear to right shoulder
- Bring left ear to left shoulder
- Gently tilt head forward, look down
- Return to original position
- Hold each position for five seconds while breathing
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Breathing
- While sitting or standing, slowly raise arms up from your sides while inhaling through your nose
- Then slowly lower arms back down to your sides, exhaling through your mouth
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| Upper Extremities |
Interlaced Fingers Stretch
- While sitting or standing with arms out in front of you at chest level, turn palms towards you and interlace fingers
- Push your hands away from your body
- Feel the stretch in your shoulders, middle of your upper back, arms, hands, fingers, and wrists
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Tricep Press
- While sitting or standing, bend one arm and pull your elbow across your chest, toward your opposite shoulder
- Hold and breathe
- This exercise, which stretches your triceps, shoulder, and middle and upper back, can also be done with your arm straight
- Repeat with the other arm
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Pectoral (Chest) Stretch
- While standing, grasp both hands behind your waist and lift
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Shoulder Back Press
- While sitting or standing, clasp hands behind your neck
- Slowly press elbows back, but make sure not to push or pull on your neck
- This exercise is great for slumping shoulders
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| Spine and Lower Extremities |
Side Bend
- While sitting or standing, put one hand on your hip and the other hand over your head
- Reach up and stretch slowly over to one side
- Do not lean forward or backward
- Hold and stretch, then switch sides
- Repeat three to four times
- This exercise helps stretch the muscles between the ribs, waistline and upper hip
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Calf Stretch
- Place both palms against wall at shoulder height
- Position feet slightly apart, slide one foot back, toes pointed forward, keeping both heels on the ground
- Bend front knee slightly
- Gently lean forward feeling a stretch in back of leg and calf
- Hold 30 seconds for each leg while breathing
- Repeat with the other leg
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Quadricep Stretch (Lying Down)
- Lie on your side
- Bend one knee
- Keep knees together
- Use your hand to slowly press your heel toward your buttocks until you feel a stretch on the front of your thigh
- Hold the stretch, then switch sides
- Avoid this stretch if you are experiencing any pain
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Hamstring Stretch
Caution: Do not over stretch or pull hard with hands
- Lie on back, with lower back flat on floor, knees bent and feet flat
- Slowly extend one leg up until you feel a gentle pull behind the knee
- To increase the stretch, gently flex the ankle
- Hold 15-30 seconds
- Repeat with other leg
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