Is Stretching Good for You in St. Charles IL?

We all feel we need to stretch. My patients in St. Charles IL ask me to give them stretching exercises every day. Deep down inside we want to be more "something" in those tight places of our bodies. No one has published research that shows stretching is good for anything. So what's the deal? If you want to skip the science lesson, skip down to the section below: How to Stretch.

Let's think about the muscles and why it feels tight to us. What do muscles do? They don't exist by themselves in time and space. They are an integral part of our bodies. They are designed to support and move joints and maintain the containers of our throat, chest, abdomen and pelvis. They are meant to be strong yet soft, rigid yet flexible. Without muscles the ligaments of your body would tear with movement.

Muscles in St. Charles IL

What makes a muscle? The muscle is in its own container, which is wrapped in cellophane thin layers of un-stretchable fascia with slippery stuff between the layers called hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid). This allows the muscles to glide so you don't squeak when you move. Hyaluronan is the grease of the body. Not only does it lubricate the muscle as they elongate and contract, but it allows muscles to slide over other muscles as they all do different things with movement.

Each muscle is made of muscle bundles that are wrapped in fascia and lubricated with hyaluronan. The bundles are made of muscle fibers that are wrapped in fascia, which is lubricated with hyaluronan. The fibers are made of muscle fibrils that are wrapped in fascia and lubricated with hyaluronan. The structure of the body is maintained and moved by muscles that are coordinated and structurally maintained with fascia. The whole system glides smoothly due to this structure, and the presence of hyaluronan, which is the grease of the body.

We think the force of the muscle is transferred 100% through the tendon to pull the bone and make the joint move. Research says only 60-70% of this force is transferred through the tendon, which by the way is wrapped in fascia. It has been shown that 30-40% of the muscle motion force is transferred in a wider fan of fascial attachment on the bone. The tensioning of this fascia is largely responsible for stabilizing the joint against injury and coordinating all of your movements.

Without the fascia making up the structure of the muscle, the muscle is just a pile of hamburger not able to do anything. So if you think you are stretching the muscle, you're not. What you are doing is warming up the sliding action of the fascia so it moves more freely. Warming up the natural movement and coordination of the body is what can prevent injury.

Summary: stretching isn't lengthening or warming up muscle. It is warming up the sliding gliding action of the body preparing for more and better movement without pain.

Think of "stretching" as a warming up exercise. Do the stretches that you find are
helpful but do them differently. Don't stretch and hold for a long count. Stretch and
hold for a short count. Back off the stretch and repeat six times. Yes, six is the
number shown by research to warm up the hyaluronan and allow more muscle and
fascial glide. If you stretch for a long count, the pain it causes can make the muscle
react with tightness to protect itself as well as the joint it moves.

How to stretch:

Do the same stretches you find helpful now, find some online, or ask me.
Go into the stretch and allow the area to slowly elongate. It will naturally come to a stopping point. Hold that position for a long two count. Release the stretch and repeat it six times.
All that being said, it is best to warm up prior to exercise and stretch after you
exercise, or some other time during the day. If you have a tighter area, stretch it
multiple times per day.

Helpful hint: when you stretch your hamstrings, the back of your thigh, don't pull
your toes up. It hurts a lot because you are stretching the sciatic nerve, not in a good
way. Point your toes like a ballet dancer when you stretch your hamstring. That way
you are isolating the muscle and not torturing the nerve.

Stretching is good for you. It increases blood flow, decreases pain, and can prevent the
stiffness and rigidity we feel in our bodies. It is healthy for your muscles and also for
all the other stuff inside your body. You are an integrally designed machine.
Everything inside and outside works together to get you through the day. Do some
stretching every day so you improve and maintain your health.

Other Takeaways:

Frequently the tightness you feel is your body's attempt to protect an injured joint. If you can't get the area loosened up with stretching, see me. I will make it all work right so the pain and tightness go away.
I just started carrying the coolest supplement I have seen in a long time. If you have chronic pain, tightness and frequent injury come get some. It is called Runovia. No, I didn't make up the name, and I think it is funny too. It is Hyaluronan and it works very well to make those old chronic pains go away.

Contact Fox Valley Chiropractic Physicians today.
Be safe, be smart, and be healthy.
DRG