https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/fitness/chair-exercises-and-limited-mobility-fitness

On December 11, National Stretching Day is dedicated to educating people on the numerous benefits that come with practitioner assisted-stretching.

Flexibility is one of the most significant components to leading a healthy lifestyle. When most think about stretching, it is in relation to one or two stand-by stretches that are held for a few seconds and released. However, this isn’t the most efficient form of stretching.

There is a way to stretch that can make you feel a difference. On National Stretching Day, we are bringing awareness to why incorporating practitioner assisted-stretching into your everyday routine will make your movements more efficient. In fact, your stretching movements will be more effortless and pain-free on a daily basis.

Importance of Stretching

Why is stretching important? Stretching improves our lifestyle and helps us live a better life. When we stretch daily, we increase our mobility and keep our muscles flexible and strong. Due to sedentary lifestyles of growing older or over stressed muscles, people develop excessive resting muscle tone causing everyday movement to be difficult, cumbersome, or painful. Our independence becomes compromised, partially due to a greater inability to move.

Daily stretching exercises or getting regularly stretched by a certified practitioner will keep joints moving efficiently as we age. This will keep our body healthy. A few additional key benefits to stretching:

• Relieves stiffness and soreness in your joints.
• Increases and maintains your active range of motion.
• Improves circulation and blood flow.
• Mitigates muscle imbalances that can lead to poor posture. Strengthening and stretching specific muscle groups can assist in promoting proper alignment.
• Re-establishes a more ideal resting muscle tone and optimal muscle extensibility making movement easier and more efficient.
• Supports injury prevention, enhances athletic skills and improves your ability to do daily activities.
• Helps with stress reduction, calming the mind and decreasing tension headaches.
• It makes you feel lighter and younger.

LET LOOSE

• Develop a new daily stretching routine and stick to it.
• Learn about the short and long-term benefits of stretching.
• Join a Yoga class.
• Play a nightly game of Twister with your family and have fun stretching.
• Volunteer at a retirement facility and engage residents to practice daily stretching techniques.
• Join a stretching class.
• Document your stretching journey and watch your progress.
• Learn about the Stretch Zone Method.
• Share your photos of your stretching routine on social media using #NationalStretchingDay.