The Importance of Stretching

Did you know there are 40 different muscles that make up your back?! The flexibility and strength of these muscles can have a huge impact on your back health and ultimately, your quality of life.

So today I want to talk about the importance of stretching those muscles to maintain a healthy back. Stretching is often overlooked when it comes to our exercise routine, but it is actually a very important part of it.

Stretching keeps our muscles flexible, strong, and healthy reducing the risk of injury and improving overall physical performance. We need flexibility to maintain a proper range of motion in our joints. If we don’t stretch, our muscles will shorten and become tight. As a result, when we call on those muscles to perform, they will be weak and unable to extend properly.

When stretching, many people don't realize that our legs, glutes, and hip muscles play a significant role in how our back functions and feels – it is all interconnected. We can't limit our stretches to only back muscles if we want to relieve the pain. For example, tight hamstring muscles are a common contributor to lower back pain. Stretching them on a consistent basis will make you less prone to injury and decrease strain on your back.

Bottom line: Regular stretching exercises help to keep back muscles flexible and less prone to injury!

Give these (link?) back stretches a try and as you improve, move on to the more intermediate/advanced back stretches. It's good to challenge yourself but stretching should feel good, not painful. If you experience any sharp or intense pain, ease off the stretch. Always listen to your body.