Resources - Injuries

 

 

 

Warming up and Stretching

By Jake Kennedy, RPT

Warming-up and stretching increases circulation and muscle flexibility.

STRETCHING

  • Warms muscles and lubricates joints.
  • Prevents injury.
  • Improves exercise performance.
  • Decreases pain.
  • Increases range of motion.
  • Improves posture.

When stretching, please follow these important guidelines:

  • Warm up prior to all exercise (a low intensity slow paced exercise such as easy biking or walking in place).
  • Stretch before and after exercise.
  • Stretching should never cause pain.
  • Stretch slowly without bouncing.
  • While stretching a muscle, relax the rest of your body.

EXERCISES

HAMSTRINGS

  • Five minutes of easy, low resistance, biking with proper seat height-knees and legs should almost be fully extended.
  • Sit with one knee bent and the other leg out straight.
  • Lean forward from the hips, feeling the stretch in the back of the thigh.
  • Repeat with the other leg.

QUADRICEPS

  • Lie on your side with knees bent.
  • Reach back and grab ankle of top knee.
  • Ease entire leg backwards from hip.

GASTROC/SOLEUS (Wall Push Ups)

  • Stand in front of a wall with one foot back, heel flat on the floor, toes pointing forward.
  • Keep back knee straight and lean into wall.
  • Repeat the stretch, keeping the knee of your back leg bent.

LOWER TRUNK ROTATION

  • Lie flat on back with both knees bent and soles of feet on the floor.
  • Begin rocking side to side in a slow rhythmic fashion.
  • Increase your range of motion in small increments until you are moving through as much range of motion as you can without pain.

FIGURE FOUR STRETCH

  • Lie flat on back.
  • Begin with both legs straight and place the sole of your right foot against the inside of your left thigh.
  • Keep left leg down on the floor.
  • With your right hand, apply slight pressure to the inside of the right knee, pushing the leg toward the floor.
  • Relax. Straighten legs, and repeat on left side.

CROSS LEG STRETCH

  • Lie flat on back and cross your right leg over your left knee so that the right foot is on the floor.
  • With your left hand, grasp the outside of your right knee and push the right leg across your body until you feel it stretch.
  • Relax. Repeat on left side.

CORNER STRETCH

  • Stand facing into a corner and place a hand on each wall.
  • Slowly lean forward into corner and hold.
  • Feel stretch in front of shoulder.
  • Note: You should not feel any neck or upper back pain. Adjust level of hands if you do.

SIDE-REACHING

  • Keep elbows straight, and lift arm up and out to the side of the body as far as possible.
  • Note: Lead this motion with your thumb. You may want to stand sideways in a doorway to get a full stretch.

NECK STRETCH

  • Turn head to one side as far as possible without pain, and hold.
  • Stabilize opposite shoulder.
  • Hold. Repeat with other side.