You may think of stretching as something performed only by runners or gymnasts. But we all need to stretch in order to protect our mobility and independence.
"A lot of people don't understand that stretching has to happen on a regular basis. It should be daily," says David Nolan, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.
BENEFITS OF STRETCHING:
Allow greater freedom of movement and improved posture
Increased physical and mental relaxation
Released muscle tension and soreness
Reduced risk of injury
My simple stretching routine goes:
-Upper body: shoulder stretch, behind the head, arm circles, torso twists
-Lower body: quadriceps stretch, runners lunge, sumo squat, calve stretch, leg swings, hamstring stretch, side to side lunges.