Is it possible to regain flexibility

Stretching our muscles is too often regarded as an add-on to exercise — something we do to warm up our bodies or cool down after a good workout. As we get older our tendons become more rigid, and the muscles and joints that allow for easy mobility become stiff.

Not only does this make daily activity challenging, but a lack of flexibility also makes you more prone to accidents later in life.

Flexibility is one of the ways in which you can reduce your chance of falling, which could lead to a broken hip or other negative health consequence as your bones age and lose their density. It also means you have better posture and blood circulation, which will have a direct impact on your happiness and mental health over time.

Greater flexibility can even make you less likely to get into a car accident. There is no one-size-fits-all flexibility regime, but experts say you should focus on stretching major muscle groups two or more times a week. This includes muscles in your back, shoulders, legs, and arms. Sometimes the best way to get rid of stress is to just get started , focus on the sensations you are feeling, and how the feel of the stretch changes as you adjust your posture.

Consider how much time you spend each week sitting at your desk at work, sitting on a couch, staring down at a cell phone screen, or commuting. Even if you perform some type of manual labor at your job, you are still susceptible to chronic injuries and tightness from these sedentary habits. Now think about how much time you dedicate to training, stretching, and working out the imbalances in your posture. If you are the typical recreational athlete, you are probably allotting between hours a week to focused training or sport.

Even if you are at the top end of that range, you probably spend about five times more time being sedentary in postures that are having a negative effect on your flexibility. You need to mitigate the damage. Take breaks at work at least once an hour to stand up and stretch to avoid some of that stiffness by the end of your workday.

The hip flexors, quads, glutes, adductors, pecs, and shoulders are the areas to focus on as they tend to get especially tight from spending an extended time sitting. Adjustable desks that can be used as either a standing or seated desk are great options for reducing stiffness and taking pressure off of the lower back.

Dynamic stretching and deep stretching both play a role in developing flexibility. If you ever experience a pinching pain in or around the joints while stretching, stop. You should never experience pain, especially sharp pain, while stretching. Stretching in a different sequence might be all you need to do to alleviate the pain.

For example, if you experience pain in the front of the shoulder while performing a lat stretch that brings the arm overhead, try stretching the biceps first, and then return to the lat stretch and see if you have improved. Stretch the hip flexors and rectus femoris before targeting the glutes, adductors, and hamstrings, if you experience a pinching sensation in the front of the hip. Other benefits of varying the sequence is being able to get a deeper stretch on the areas that are last in the sequence.

Working from the extremities to the center by stretching the calves before the hamstrings, or the forearms before the elbow flexors can help you to achieve a deeper stretch on the areas targeted second. Want to test the waters? Give a minute class a try! We recommend finding yourself a mat that you really like and having a couple of yoga blocks on hand for extra support if you need them. Set yourself up for success by stretching in a comfortable, relaxing environment.

Think: strong but not forceful. Stretching should be uncomfortable at the end range of your motion, but not painful. Direct your breath towards the sensations in your body. Prev Next. Here are some tips for getting started.