Stretches and Exercises
One of the best ways to prevent an injury is to keep your muscles stretched and
strong. And one of the best ways to ensure that is with a regimen of regular
stretches and exercises. Below you'll find examples of both to keep your limbs
limber and your sinews strong.
Back Stretches
Calf and Achilles' Tendon Stretches
Hamstring Stretches
Neck Stretches
Stretches For Your Knee
Back Stretches
General Advice: Hold stretches for about six seconds, release for six. Repeat
five times, two or three times a day.
Stretch #1
Lie on your back
Press knees into chest, holding your shinbones with your hands.
Release and repeat.
Stretch #2
Lie on your back with arms stretched out, perpendicular to your body.
While turning your head to look at your right hand, pull your right knee close
to your chest and try to touch it to the ground on the left side of your body.
Repeat on left side.
Stretch #3
Rest on hands and knees.
Dip your back, keeping head up and chin out.
Arch your back, pulling chin to chest.
Repeat.
Calf & Achilles' Tendon Stretches
Stretch #1-Calf Stretch
Stand about a foot from a wall, then extend one leg behind you, keeping both
feet flat on the floor, toes pointed straight ahead, and your rear knee
straight.
Move your hips forward, keeping lower back flat.
Lean into the wall until you feel tension in the calf muscle of the extended
leg.
Hold for 10 seconds, then stretch other leg.
Repeat.
Stretch #2-Calf Stretch
Stand arm's-length distance from a wall (or tree, or lamppost -- whatever is
handy and gives you support).
Put your hands on the wall, keep your back and your legs straight and your heels
flat on the floor.
Bend your arms and lean forward, trying to touch your chest to the wall.
Feel the stretch in your calf muscles.
Hold it for a few seconds.
Relax and repeat.
You can do this one leg at a time, or both together, depending on which feels
like the best stretch. Don't bounce. Stretch gently and completely. Focus your
attention on the calf muscle and see it in your mind's eye as it loosens and
warms up. When you've done this enough times, you can put a one- or two-inch
lift under the ball of your foot -- a paperback book will do -- and keep
stretching.
Stretch #3-Achilles' Tendon Stretch
Get into position for calf stretch #1.
Lower hips downward as you slightly bend the knee of the extended leg.
Keep both heels flat on the floor and toes straight ahead.
Hold the stretch 10 seconds, then stretch the other leg.
Repeat
Note: This area requires only a slight feel of stretching.
Hamstring Stretches
General Advice: Hold stretches for 10 to 30 seconds without straining or
bouncing, which may create or increase muscle tears. Breathe deeply and
rhythmically.
Stretch #1
Sit on the floor with one leg out straight.
Bend the other leg at the knee and press the sole of that foot against your
opposite inner thigh.
Extend your arms as far as possible, grasping the ankle of the extended leg and
pulling your upper body down as you exhale. Hold your bent knee close to floor
and bend at the waist, keeping your spine fairly straight.
Hold 10 seconds, then relax.
Stretch the other leg.
Repeat.
Stretch #2
Stand and put your right foot on a step.
Keeping your leg and back straight, try to touch your chest to your knee.
Repeat with left foot.
Stretch #3
Stand and cross your right foot in front of your left.
Lace your fingers behind your back.
Slowly lower your forehead to your right knee, raising your arms as you go.
Repeat, crossing the left foot in front of the right.
Neck Stretches
It's important that you try to stretch your neck as much as possible, several
times each day. When you need a rest, lie on the floor with your pelvis tilted
up and your feet elevated.
Stretch #1
This will strengthen muscles in the sides of your neck.
Grasp the back of your head with your right hand.
Pull your head forward and to the right.
Repeat with your left hand.
Stretch #2
This will strengthen more of your neck's side muscles.
Place your right hand over your left ear.
Pull your head to the right.
Repeat to the left.
Stretch #3
This exercise lengthens muscles in the back of your neck.
Interlace your fingers behind your head.
Gently pull your head forward and down toward your chest muscles.
Stretch #4
This stretch lengthens muscles along the front of your neck.
Stretches to Help Your Knees
For each stretch, move to the point of slight discomfort, but not so far as to cause pain. Hold each position about 15-20 seconds. Stretch slowly while breathing deeply. Repeat each stretch several times on both sides of your body.
Quadriceps Stretch
This stretches the muscle on the front of the thigh that connects to your knee
joint.
Stand on your left leg.
Reach back and hold your right foot behind you with your left hand.
Balance against a wall with your free hand as you pull gently upward on your
right foot.
You should feel a stretch in your right thigh, not in the knee.
Reverse and repeat.
Iliotibial Band Stretch
This stretches the iliotibial or I-T band, the fibrous tissue on the side of
your thigh running from hip to knee.
Stand sideways to a wall, leaning against it with your arm or palm of your hand.
Move your inside foot behind and to the far side of your stationary foot.
Now lean your hip toward the wall while bending the stationary knee and keeping
the other knee straight.
Use your free hand to press your body toward the wall.
You'll feel a stretch at the outside of the inside hip and upper thigh.
Reverse and repeat.