Chiropractic Team in Seattle WA Discusses Stretching Tips

Hello! Dr. Zapata with Emerald City Spinal Care, bringing you another tip of the week. Many of you probably know that I am a chiropractor in Seattle, and one thing that I consistently see that helps patients get back to living the life they want to live, with less pain and more freedom, is a good stretching routine followed regularly.

While we won’t be discussing specific stretches this week (we have some other great Tip of the Week video blogs that show off some great stretches), today I want to share some general tips that are important to keep in mind when stretching. Let’s dive in!

Often times, I hear patients tell me that they spend time stretching only AFTER they have already injured themselves. But, it is very important to incorporate stretching into your daily routine, because stretching has many benefits, such as:

• A decrease in your risk of injury: By stretching muscles regularly, you will start to see an increase in your range of motion. That increase in range of motion, or increased flexibility, can help reduce the risk of muscle pulls and strains during exercise.
• An increase in range of motion in your joints: Noticing this one may take some time, but after stretching regularly, you will likely notice that you have greater range of motion than you did prior to starting a stretching routine.
• A boost in your circulation: Stretching can improve your circulation by increasing blood flow to your muscles
• Improvement in your physical performance

So, today I’d like to share with you four basic stretching tips:

1. Stretch before and after exercising!
2. Make sure not to hold your breath while stretching! To see the best benefits of stretching, you will want to breathe deeply and regularly. Often times, people have a tendency to hold their breath while stretching, which will hinder many of the potential benefits and may actually increase your risk of injury.
3. It is important not to ‘bounce’ while stretching! Bouncing while stretching can cause micro trauma in your muscles. That will then lead to scar tissue forming in order to repair the trauma. The scar tissue that forms causes the muscle to tighten and can actually limit flexibility as opposed to helping it.
4. If it hurts while you are stretching, you are stretching too far!

That is it for this week! Thanks for reading, and I hope you find this information helpful. Once again, as a chiropractor in Seattle, I often times see people who wait until after they’ve already hurt themselves before they stretch. Being proactive, and incorporate a stretching regimen into your daily routine can certainly help!

For all of us at Emerald City Spinal Care, thank and have an amazing week!

- Dr. Zapata and the Emerald City Spinal Care Team in Seattle WA