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In our zeal to promote
fitness, several aspects of the healthy lifestyle are often
emphasized. Strength and endurance training are the cornerstones
of fitness. However, there are several other important aspects
of health that aren't talked about as much but are equally
important. Over the next few weeks, this column will focus on
these areas.
One of the most
important things that athletes should remember but often neglect
is flexibility. Ideally, flexibility should be stressed in any
training program along with strength and endurance.
There are several
reasons to focus on flexibility in virtually any training
regimen. The first of which is that it can actually improve
performance in more ways than you might think. Obviously, this
improvement is more pronounced in certain sports such as
gymnastics and martial arts but the benefits extend to other
sports as well.
There are several
studies that indicate that athletes participating in flexibility
training actually improve their subjective and objective
performance in a variety of sports including tennis and
swimming.
One biomechanical study
in particular detailed an upper extremity flexibility regimen
that when used by freestyle swimmers produced a marked
improvement in their performance.
Flexibility also
reduces the incidence of injury in many cases. Traditionally,
this benefit was thought to primarily involve injuries such as
muscle and tendon strains. While these benefits are intuitive
and fairly indisputable other injuries can be prevented in a
similar manner.
Joint injuries can
actually be reduced with an adequate stretching routine. Ankle
sprains and knee ligament injuries have been shown to decrease
in athletes who actively and properly stretch as part of their
training.
Some ongoing studies
are investigating the effects of stretching on reducing marathon
and other endurance injuries. Some of the initial results seem
promising.
In addition to
preventing injuries, flexibility training can actually be
therapeutic for certain injuries. For example, the most common
cause of heel pain is called plantar fascitis. Among the most
effective therapies for this problem is heel cord stretching. In
fact, stretching, orthotics, and anti-inflammatory medicines
alone can cure the majority of plantar fascitis. Only a minority
of patients will require an invasive therapy.
Other chronic injuries
like shin splints, lateral knee pain (iliotibial band friction
syndrome), knee cap pain (chondromalacia patella) also respond
well to therapeutic stretching.
Other flexibility
options are gaining popularity recently. Though certainly not
for everyone, yoga and other similar exercises emphasize the
marriage of flexibility and strength. Though the practitioners
of yoga suggest that there may be other non-physical benefits
from participation, the health benefits are fairly certain.
It's not necessary to
join a yoga class to realize the benefits of flexibility. Just a
few minutes of stretching prior to or after your regular
training or exercise is enough to see marked improvement.
There are people who
advocate stretching before exercises and others who thing that
afterwards is better. In reality, there is evidence and logic to
both theories. To realize maximum benefit, a few minutes before
and after training spent stretching could make a significant
difference.
Flexibility training is
not just for trained athletes. People who are early in their
training or people who don't exercise regularly at all can
benefit from increasing flexibility. For the "couch
potato", the reduced injury argument probably isn't
particularly motivating. However, regular stretching can help to
reduce muscle fatigue from every day activities.
Flexibility is an
important part of any training regimen and can be a great way
for the uninitiated to begin to do something to improve their
own health.
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