Foot pain is very common. About 75% of Americans have foot pain at some time in their lives. Most foot pain is caused by shoes that do not fit properly or that force the feet into unnatural shapes, such as pointed-toe, high-heeled shoes. Your foot is a complex structure of 26 bones and 33 joints, layered with an intertwining web of more than 120 muscles, ligaments, and … [Read more...]
7 Stretches In 7 Minutes For Complete Lower Back Pain Relief
One of the consequences of being sedentary, and also being incredibly active, is back pain. About 31 million Americans experience lower back pain at any given moment. It’s a common affliction and one that takes care and diligence to eliminate. Whether you experience stiffness, aches, or spasms, the following stretches will help keep your back fit and strong. 1. The … [Read more...]
3 Finger Stretching Exercises to Improve Flexibility, Strength and Coordination and Bring Relief to Joints
You use your fingers constantly to type at work, to install smartphone apps, to cook dinner and to grasp onto weights at the gym. Yet, the fingers are sometimes completely forgotten, especially when it comes to stretching. Finger stretches can help you recover from an injury, arthritis, systemic sclerosis or other diseases. And, they can help increase your finger flexibility … [Read more...]
8 Stretches to Instantly Open Tight Hips and Improve Overall Flexibility
Tight hips are a common problem for most of us — from runners to cyclists, from desk-bound bloggers to dancers. By giving this area of your body a little extra love with our sequence of 8 hip-opening stretches you can increase your flexibility, reduce discomfort, and prevent injury. You also just feel better. Try the series in the order listed here, or pick your favorites and … [Read more...]
Smart Stretching – How and When to Stretch
Stretching not only improves appearance, lengthens muscles, and gives that lean, toned look on stage, but it also improves fitness and health. It is the ultimate for preventing injuries; in fact, at least 50% fewer overextension injuries are reported with athletes who use a regular stretching routine compared to those who don't! Stretching is a great warmup or cooldown and … [Read more...]
6 Simple Stretches for Neck Pain and Stiff Shoulders
Whether you are in an office chair all day or maybe slept in a weird position, neck pain happens to all of us. Not only is it annoying and uncomfortable, but it can also lead to headaches and serious problems with your upper back. Here are 6 simple exercises to stretch the muscles of the neck and shoulders. This is not only useful, but also pleasant, especially in the … [Read more...]
How You Should Stretch? Instructions, Tips and Common Misconceptions
In our previous article The Art of Stretching we presented illustrations in color with stretches for specific muscles. This time we’ll talk about static stretching, why it’s beneficial and offer some specific instructions. Static stretching is used to stretch muscles while the body is at rest. With static stretching a muscle is gradually lengthen to an elongated position (to … [Read more...]
