Stretching is great for your health. Here’s how to do more of it – CBC

Activities like yoga or tai chi are easy ways to turn stretching into a primary physical activit

Mar 25, 2024

As a former competitive gymnast, Christie Misketis is no stranger to the importance of stretching.

She credits routine stretching with improving her overall form and flexibility.

“I can kind of attest to the specificity of stretching and increasing mobility and keeping me in the sport as long as I was.”

Experts say stretching isn’t simply essential for competitive athletes or as a pre-workout activity. Routine stretching can improve overall mobility and strength, while also keeping the body well-lubricated and nimble.

Human kinetics and recreation professor David Behm says stretching influences muscle strength, cardiovascular health, and even pain management in some cases.

“If we can increase our range of motion and make our tissues more elastic, it’s going to increase our movement efficiency,” said Behm, a university research professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland, in an interview with The Dose host Dr. Brian Goldman.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/whitecoat/stretching-health-benefits-1.7151531