If you have suffered an injury from participating in a sporting event, chances are that you either did not stretch beforehand, or possibly performed the stretching exercises incorrectly.
Stretches
Before you stretch, you should warm up your body with light exercise. This can be running in place, going for a short walk, or doing a few jumping jacks. After you have warmed your muscles up, the following stretches will help you stay flexible during the big game.
Knees To Chest Stretch
Lie on your back, bending your legs at the knees. Bring your knees to your chest and rock gently. Hold that position for about 30 seconds, then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat a few times.
Forward Lunge
Kneel on one knee. Put your other leg forward with a right angle where the knee is positioned directly over the ankle. Lean forward until you can feel an inner thigh stretch. Hold for about 30 seconds, then switch legs and repeat. Perform this exercise a few times.
Side Lunge
Stand with your feet wide apart. Bend one knee, then lean towards it. Hold for 30 seconds. Switch knees and repeat. Do this a few times.
Standing Quad Stretch
Support yourself with the wall or a chair. Raise one foot behind you and use the hand on the same side of the body to grasp the foot and ankle behind you. Pull it towards your buttocks. You should feel a stretch in your thigh. Hold for about 30 seconds, switch legs and repeat. Repeat a few times.
Seat Stretch
In a seated position, stretch your legs out in front of you. Hold your shins or ankles and lean forward from the hips. Bring your chin towards your knees. Hold for about 30 seconds. Perform this stretch a couple more times.
Arm Reach
Stand with your legs hip width apart. rotate your body to the left while swinging your extended right arm across your chest. Twist your waist and upper body with the arm and hold for about 30 second. Switch sides and repeat. Repeat a few times.
Knee Lift
Stand with legs slightly wider than hip-width apart. Rest your arms behind your head and lift your left knee to your left elbow. Hold for about 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat. Do one more time on each side.
Squats
Stand with your legs apart. Shift your hips back as you bend your legs keeping your knees behind your toes. Either clasp your arms in front of you or on your waist. Hold for about 30 seconds. Return to standing position and repeat.
Hamstring Stretches
Stand with legs hip-width apart. Bend down at the waist and try to grasp your ankles with outstretched arms and hands. If you can grasp your ankles, hold for about 30 seconds. If you can’t grasp your ankles, point hands to the floor. Hold for about 30 seconds then return to the starting position. Do not do too many of these.
Hip Stretches
Stand with legs wide. Put hands on hips and bend to one side until you feel a stretch on the opposite side. Hold for about 30 seconds then switch sides and repeat.
Some Helpful Tips
To perform these stretching exercises correctly, follow these suggestions:
Don't Bounce
Bouncing when stretching can damage the muscle. Instead, perform the stretch in a slow, steady motion.
Go Slow
Don’t rush through the stretches. Perform the exercises slowly for maximum benefits.
Stay Fit All Year
The off-season should not signal to you that it’s time to slack off and take it easy. Find ways to cross train and maintain your fitness all year. Plus, by staying in good shape in the off-season, you will be strong, in shape and ready for when the pre-season rolls around.
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Contact Scarborough Physio and Health today. They can help you with injury prevention exercise. For physiotherapy in Scarborough, contact Scarborough Physio and Health today.
Conclusion
One simple and effective way to reduce the risk of injury is to warm up before engaging in sporting activity. The best way to do this is with stretching exercises. Provided you perform them slowly and correctly, you stand to benefit the most from doing them. It is also important to maintain your fitness level in the off-season and stretching exercises are a useful tool during that time to keep your body flexible.