Stretching your muscles can be used to improve overall flexibility and reduce the risk of injury. It is also great for loosening tight muscles and improving your posture. So, if I want to improve my joints, which muscles should I focus and stretch for?
Improve Your Joints by Stretching these Muscles
Our muscles are an integral part of everyday life: we use them every day to walk, run, swim, lift, stretch and bend, and every time we do, our muscles need to be prepared. With regular physical activity, the body gets stronger and more muscular, so muscles need to be stretched to develop.
So, we’re at the point in our lives when we’re getting old. Not to forget, some of us may also have a job where we sit for long hours in front of computers with close to no movement. There’s a fitness world out there that tells us we need to stretch regularly, but we don’t do it. Well, guess what? It’s absolutely necessary for your health and wellness.
Some of us may choose to find other ways to control the pain in our muscles and joints: we may take medication, do minor stretches whenever it gets too unbearable, go for remedial massage, or even simply power through it. Although all of these may be valid in their own way, doing proper stretches and exercises is the best way to avoid joint pain.
Additionally, you may also have to work on your body posture to reduce extra pressure on joints which can turn into joint pain and inflammation in old age. To start, you can consider replacing your office chair with a chiropractic chair, or one with extra support for the back, neck, and wrists. You can get such a product online from a seller similar to officemonster.co.uk/office-furniture or similar others. Furthermore, ensure that you do full-body stretches multiple times a day (maybe 2-3 times) to reduce stiffness, joint pain, and muscle weakness. You can also take breaks in between work hours to stretch your legs and go for a walk to get some fresh air. These small changes in life can help you stay physically and mentally healthy.
Here are the following 5 muscles that we should stretch to improve our joints:
1. Pay attention to our core
Core muscles are commonly overlooked muscles in the body. They don’t get much attention since they aren’t as visible as the other muscles with their names, like the biceps or the abs. They are, however, a very important muscle to the body. The core is an important component of many exercises aimed at maintaining or improving joint mobility and posture.
The core muscle group is the set of muscles in the abdomen, the back, and the sides of the abdomen. These muscles are strongly connected to our spine and upper body and are involved in controlling the movement of our hips, knees, and ankles. These muscles are responsible for many of the movements we all make every day.
2. Stretch your hip flexors
Hip flexors are a group of muscles located on the front of your hip and upper thigh and flex the hip. They are also the muscles that run along the front of the thigh. They play a critical role in everyday tasks such as walking, running, picking up objects, bending, and standing up from a sitting position. They are also often referred to as the “front thigh” muscles. When you sit for a long period of time, the hip flexors contract, which causes the hips to rotate inward, this, in turn, places mechanical stress on the knee joint. This can lead to arthritis.
3. Stretch for your glutes
The glutes are a very important muscle group. They are the primary muscle group of the posterior chain, which is the back and hip musculature. The glutes muscles are the largest muscles in the human body, which is why they are sometimes referred to as the “powerhouse of the body.”
Therefore, if you want to have a healthy, strong, and mobile lower body, the glutes need to be a part of your training program. By training the glutes, you can help to improve your posture, develop overall muscle strength, and develop the right movement patterns that will help you stay healthy.
4. Do some stretching exercise for your quads
While we’re all for stretching your body to improve its flexibility, you’re probably not going to be able to stretch your quads to the point of twisting. Your quads are the muscles on the front side of the thighs that encompass your knees. They work to straighten your legs and pull you into a sitting position. You’ll almost certainly be able to work your quads into a stretch or two so that you can move more freely.
5. Don’t forget your hamstrings
The hamstrings are the back of the thigh muscles that span from the pelvis to the lower leg, and they play an important role in everyday activities. When you sit on a chair or move around, the hamstrings play a crucial role in these activities. Your hamstrings need to be flexible to enable the body to move easily, so you should stretch these muscles every day to maintain their flexibility and prevent injury in the future.
Some people do stretch exercises for the sake of their joints and muscles, but there is a whole other group of people that does it to improve their flexibility. Stretching is a great way to get more movement into your overall body, and it can really help strengthen your muscles. We recommend that you start with basic stretches and not anything too advanced for those that are just starting to stretch.