Dynamic stretching incorporates managed, lively actions to arrange your body for activity. This type of stretching is ideal as part of a warm-up routine to extend blood flow and loosen muscles. Examples embrace, Arm circles, Walking lunges, Leg swings, etc. As many as 26 % of all adults report pain and stiffness in joints.
Stretching helps maintain muscle flexibility, joint vary of motion, and stability, which are essential for every day actions and decreasing the danger of falls. As we age, muscular tissues and joints can become stiff, making stretching very important for preserving mobility and independence. There are two kinds of stretching you probably can carry out before your exercise. Static stretches are the acquainted act of extending a muscle as far as you possibly can earlier than you are feeling ache and holding it in place for about half a minute.
Examples of a static stretch include reaching for your toes while standing or pulling your foot towards your glute. In a world increasingly centered on peak performance, anti-aging and holistic wellness, stretching has emerged as an unsung hero. While often ignored, stretching is a vital element of a well-rounded health routine, significantly as we age. newlineBut the objective is to hold each stretch for at least 60 seconds. Dynamic stretching can also be an excellent form of stretching to heat up muscle groups earlier than initiating high-intensity exercise or sports competition.
Make stretching part of your routine, and you could discover you experience less soreness and pain now, and as you get older. This is especially true should you spend a large portion of your time in a chair. However, if your objective is to extend flexibility, stretching daily or even multiple occasions a day may be helpful. Well-stretched muscle tissue hold less pressure and, due to this fact, may help you’re feeling much less confused.
Incorporating stretching into your day by day routine can alleviate age-related muscle tightness and joint pain, promoting greater consolation and well-being. Additionally, engaging in remote hackathons can introduce new methods to remain motivated and linked with others during your fitness journey. Understanding age-related muscle changes might help tailor your stretching routine for optimum benefit. Ultimately, consistent stretching empowers you to stay active longer and revel in a more impartial life. Understanding the health benefits of a daily stretching routine goes beyond simply bodily well-being, encompassing mental health improvements as nicely. Tailoring activities to suit your wants, whether it’s through tai chi, resistance training, or easy every day stretches, may end up in improved balance and coordination.
She has labored in pediatrics, oncology, chronic pain, and public health. Balancing on one leg, stretch your quads by pulling the opposite heel towards your buttocks. To lengthen your hamstrings, sit on the ground and straight out your legs forward of you. Using your outstretched hand, grab your toes and drag them back toward your torso. Because fascia is hard, so it usually doesn’t allow your muscles to increase or develop. To develop muscles, your fascia must give enough room to your muscle tissue.
Incorporating regular stretching into your every day or weekly routine doesn’t require plenty of time, however the rewards can be significant. Whether you stretch first thing in the morning, after a exercise, or as a soothing approach to unwind in the night, you’ll be supporting your body’s flexibility, consolation, and resilience. Make stretching a habit, and you’ll likely discover enhancements in how you move, feel, and handle the demands of everyday life.
By understanding the science behind it, you’ll have the ability to tailor your routine to fit your body’s wants, stop damage, and enhance how you progress and really feel every day. “Gradually enhance your stretching and permit time on your physique to adapt and get well from bodily activity,” says Kura. Tight muscular tissues can lead to a decrease in your vary of motion. When this happens, you increase the likelihood of straining the muscles in your back. Stretching could help heal an existing again damage by stretching the muscular tissues. Consistent stretching guarantees your muscles stay healthy and responsive, immediately supporting joint and muscle health as you age, and serving to you keep energetic and impartial longer.
Enhanced blood move might help scale back stiffness in arteries and even lower blood pressure, probably reducing the danger of cardiovascular ailments and diabetes. This improved circulation can even help in sooner restoration after intense exercises or long durations of standing. Adding stretches for these areas could scale back stiffness and improve steadiness. Safe stretching routines for the aged could make all the distinction in staying active and impartial in day by day senior life. Incorporating stretching into a routine might help prevent tightness and discomfort.
A small 2013 research discovered that individuals who stretched for 10 minutes after work reported being much less anxious and more energetic three months later than those that didn’t. They additionally reported less bodily pain and improved mental health. If someone has a slouched posture, this will tighten muscular tissues and put stress on muscles and joints, as well as trigger again or neck pain. Stretching can alleviate this tightness and thereby improve posture and pain. A small 2019 study found that stiff hamstrings and decreased range of movement in the knee are danger factors for hamstring injury. As a result, dynamic stretching might help stop these injuries.
In dynamic stretching, you don’t hold your stretch however move you focused muscle tissue and joints via the vary of motions 10 to 12 time. Dynamic stretching improves speed and helps in decreasing muscle tissue stiffness. This stretching is principally utilized in a half of the warm-up routine. Stretching and adaptability are integral elements of bodily remedy that should not be underestimated. They offer a broad range of benefits, from injury prevention to pain reduction, improved range of motion, enhanced performance, stress reduction, and posture enchancment. The integration of those exercises right into a complete physical therapy program is essential for reaching long-term rehabilitation and total well-being.
Additionally, it’s a reliably approach to give your thoughts a break from the daily stress and anxieties you might be experiencing. Stretching is a standard intervention performed throughout rehabilitation. Stretching is prescribed to extend muscle length and ROM, or to align collagen fibers throughout healing muscle.
Focus on masking the major muscle groups and areas wanted for everyday mobility. When you’re experiencing stress, there’s an excellent chance your muscles are tense. That’s as a result of your muscular tissues are most likely to tighten up in response to physical and emotional stress.
You’ll additionally discover different sorts of therapeutic therapeutic massage and the means to find services like sports activities massage in Ottawa which would possibly be tailor-made to your wants. At Elysian Wellness, we perceive the significance of flexibility and recovery in reaching your health goals. Let us help you elevate your routine with expert-guided stretching packages tailor-made to your wants. Another advantage of post-exercise stretching is stress relief.
When paired with other healthy habits, stretching turns into a powerful device in your wellness routine. Whether you are managing persistent discomfort or simply seeking to move more freely, committing to day by day stretching is an investment in your long-term well-being. When you stretch, blood move increases, circulating extra oxygen to the brain.
Here are examples of two morning stretches that can help loosen and warm up your muscles initially of your day. Adding even a few minutes of stretching to your day by day routine can help you reap the potential advantages. As you’re employed your way up and down the physique, many extra examples come to mind. Tight arm and aspect muscles may intervene with any task or sport involving reaching.
Our community brings tailor-made senior residing applications designed to encourage active dwelling, together with group stretching sessions and different fitness actions. Defining a correct stretch is tough, and is one thing you want to talk to a health care provider about. For example, a static stretch ought to at all times be held for no much less than 30 seconds a day.
Aside from the above mentioned benefits of stretching, there are reasons that stretching just feels good. Just like there are benefits of stretching, there are also ways of causing injury or simply plain things to avoid when stretching. EnhanceFitness is an evidence-based group train and falls prevention program that helps older adults in any respect levels of health turn into extra lively, energized, and empowered. The benefits in this occasion mean that your cardiovascular health improves greatly due to stretching.
Stretching earlier than exercise is extremely beneficial on your muscles. Starting a workout with stretches helps put together the muscular tissues to have interaction and flex. Without warming up before working or partaking in different types of train, you could be extra more likely to expertise muscle soreness, and a better threat of harm. But the good thing is, many specialists consider that muscle soreness is a sign of getting stronger.Regular Stretching might help you to reduce muscle soreness. However, you should be very careful stretching your physique while going through muscle soreness. Improved circulation is another vital good factor about stretching.
Being extra flexible may help you move extra freely and be better ready do every day activities. And the flexibility you gain from stretching may shield you from damage. A well-rounded stretching routine for seniors would possibly embrace stretches for the most important muscle groups, such because the neck, shoulders, arms, again, hips, and legs. Depending in your comfort and mobility ranges, you’ll find a way to carry out stretches whereas seated, standing, or lying down.
So, choose a benefit that motivates you and make stretching exercises a half of your every day routine. It is a superb introduction to exercise if you have never actually taken up a health routine. Even a couple of minutes of stretching on a daily basis will make you feel radiant on the in and out. A constant stretching routine additionally decreases muscle and joint ache in older adults. For best outcomes, combine your stretching with low-impact bodily exercise like walking, swimming or biking. Stretching 2 to three instances per week is a crucial part of maintaining flexibility and stability as an older grownup.
Stretching relaxes the muscle tissue and assist to dissolve accumulated lactic acid. Blood accumulates in muscular tissues that haven’t been used or lengthened. As talked about above, in revitalizing the circulation to the muscles, you’ll feel a surge in energy levels. “The objective is to maintain your muscle tissue from getting tight so they can adequately restore,” explains Dr. Robichau. “After a workout, a cool-down stretch calms your muscular tissues, reducing blood move and serving to to lower muscle soreness.” Having muscle tissue that are strong and versatile encourages optimal use, like holding correct posture while sitting all day or lifting a heavy item correctly.
As we age, our muscles naturally lose elasticity and mass, which is called sarcopenia. This leads to increased muscle stiffness and decreased flexibility, elevating the danger of harm and decreasing bodily efficiency. Stretching helps fight these age-related changes by maintaining muscle length and joint vary of motion. Some research have shown that a light stretching routine within the late night or proper before sleep helped improve sleep quality in individuals with delicate sleep issues. It is important to keep in mind that simply since you perform stretches doesn’t imply that you’ll by no means get injured.
Out of the many routines to make time for each week, stretching is the one most probably to fall by the wayside. Stretching can typically assist an individual improve their flexibility, which is beneficial to their general health. This entails using an external force, like a partner or prop, to attain a deeper stretch. It’s useful for growing flexibility however should be carried out fastidiously to avoid overstretching. “The Importance of Stretching.” Harvard Health, Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing, 17 Apr. 2024, /staying-healthy/the-importance-of-stretching. If you have an injury, talk with a healthcare provider about which stretches are safe and helpful as you heal.
Incorporating dynamic stretching into your routine can be a game-changer. This kind of stretching involves movement and helps to heat up your muscular tissues, making ready them for the bodily demands of your sport. When you concentrate on efficiency enchancment, you are not merely seeking to keep away from injuries; you’re moreover aiming to maximize your potential on the field or court. While stretching focuses on lengthening muscular tissues, mobility exercises improve the range of motion in your joints. Healthy joints permit for clean, pain-free motion and cut back the danger of damage during on a daily basis actions or sports activities. This includes holding every stretch for seconds to elongate the muscular tissues and enhance flexibility.
Place a e-book or folded blanket beneath your left knee to elevate it and your left hip barely. Your palms ought to be consistent with your shoulders and your knees according to your hips. Gently tuck your pelvis slightly and shift your weight back and to the left (toward the facet with the elevated knee). Breathe in through the nostril and out through the mouth for 5 to 10 counts. You ought to really feel a delicate stretch (the motion is subtle) the place the again of your leg meets your glutes on your left side.
When your muscles are more elastic, and your joints transfer freely, you gain better equilibrium and upright posture. Regular stretching over time has been proven to provide significant enhancements in stability and coordination, making everyday movements safer. Additionally, incorporating FAQs into your routine can present useful tips and motivation to stay consistent together with your flexibility exercises. By specializing in flexibility, you support your overall stability, serving to you keep confident and steady as you move by way of daily actions.
In addition, passive or static stretches before a exercise could lower muscular energy and energy. It is extensively accepted that stretching earlier than train can help to prevent accidents. However, latest analysis has proven that stretching can also have a positive impression on athletic efficiency. Research has proven that stretching can improve the variety of sarcomeres in a muscle. This implies that your muscles can generate extra force, improving your athletic efficiency.
Flexibility and energy work collectively to help general mobility. Flexibility tends to decline with age due to changes in muscles, tendons, and joints. As we age, muscle tissue could become stiffer and shorter, leading to reduced vary of movement. The joints additionally lose lubrication, which might make actions really feel tight or uncomfortable. Stretching is often included in physical therapy interventions for management of shoulder, again and knee ache. Stretching is a common activity utilized by athletes, older adults, rehabilitation sufferers, and anyone participating in a health program.
The advantages of stretching seem to be particular person to the inhabitants studied. Several elements have to be thought-about when making clinical recommendations from the literature. To enhance ROM, all kinds of stretching are efficient, though PNF-type stretching could additionally be simpler for immediate features. To keep away from decrease in energy and performance that will occur in athletes due to static stretching before competition or activity, dynamic stretching is really helpful for warm-up. Older adults over sixty five years old ought to incorporate static stretching into an train regimen.
Decreased flexibility also can lead to abnormal stress on surrounding structures, similar to tendons and ligaments, further compromising knee integrity. Ultimately, incorporating stretching right into a routine is crucial for preserving the knee wholesome and practical. Static stretches contain holding a place for a interval, serving to to lengthen muscles, while dynamic stretches involve mild actions that prepare the body for activity.
However, many accidents could be prevented by stretching earlier than engaging in bodily activity. Stretching helps to loosen and warm up the muscles, making them less prone to be strained or pulled. In addition, stretching increases vary of movement and suppleness, both of which may help reduce the chance of tendonitis and different continual conditions. For these reasons, you will need to make stretching a part of any exercise routine. Taking just some minutes to stretch before exercise may help to prevent painful and expensive accidents down the road. In conclusion, stretching is an integral part of any health routine.
Static stretching is your basic stretching type, corresponding to holding a pose for several seconds and not transferring. People in a typical yoga class or after a cardio session carry out this type of stretching. Need help getting started or managing ache that’s holding you back? The team at OrthoCarolina is here to assist your mobility and musculoskeletal well being every step of the method in which.
The vast majority of us wake up each morning with some kind of stretch to help us wake up. However, sadly, most of us don’t stretch as often or as completely as we must always. Stretching is important to our general health and wellness – not only for our bodies, but our minds, as well. Not only does taking the stairs burn extra energy, Lauren Wellinger, NASM CPT, a licensed private trainer says that you can also use the stairs to stretch. Next time you are taking the stairs, take an additional moment to stretch your calves.
For instance, advising a shoulder stretch for a person going via a shoulder harm could be dangerous to him however not for you. To learn more about how stretching might benefit your well being, reach out to your main care physician. Place your arms within the iconic prayer position to stretch the wrists. Make certain that your arms and hands create a 90 diploma to really feel that stretch. Plus, as individuals age, they have a tendency to get more hunched over, and their walking stride shortens, making it extra important to stretch incessantly.
You’ll really feel tension throughout a stretch, but you shouldn’t feel pain. A recent review98 of stretching for contractures found no improvement in joint mobility orthopedic-related contractures. Orthopedic contractures often end result from shortness in non-contractile tissues such as capsuloligamentous constructions somewhat than muscle tightness. Several authors have famous an individualized response to stretching;48,fifty six,60 therefore, stretching packages might have to be individualized. When you hold a stretch, don’t bounce, as this might lead to injury. Instead, you need to stretch until you feel tension but not pain.
“If you have torn a muscle or broken a bone, we could not need you to stretch for a while since it might possibly pull against the initial healing process,” Dr. Robichau explains. “Just as you wouldn’t stretch the pores and skin round an open cut or scrape, you don’t wish to open up an damage by stretching it.” Will there be some discomfort if you first start stretching? You could keep in mind being informed to stretch earlier than health club class or taking part in sports. You may have also just lately heard that stretching earlier than exercise isn’t beneficial. Improved performance also means better steadiness, essential to stay mobile as we age.
When you stretch regularly, you allow your muscle tissue to chill out and get well, which reduces ache and discomfort. Stretching is lengthening the muscle tissue to make them more elastic and cellular. It has several proven well being advantages, including elevated flexibility, better posture, and decreased pain. Stretching before a workout may decrease your danger of harm and improve your physical efficiency. Performing stretches on a daily basis might improve your circulation.
This readiness might help you perform better and keep away from strains. Dynamic stretches, like (again) arm circles, should be accomplished earlier than workout routines. Many people who know that they should be stretching but not why carry out static stretches earlier than a exercise, but these haven’t been shown to have any impact on health. Dynamic stretches, then again, have an incredible capacity to prevent damage during a exercise. Dynamic stretches should at all times be performed based on the muscles you might be understanding — arm circles don’t make much sense on leg day.
Return to the beginning position and place the guide or blanket beneath the proper knee. As these research present, stretching can have an actual and tangible impression on athletic performance. Therefore, stretching ought to be a vital part of their training regime for athletes looking to gain an edge over their competitors. In addition to rising the number of sarcomeres, stretching additionally increases the size of your muscular tissues. This is because the fibers within the muscle are pulled apart when you stretch a muscle.
Following an everyday stretching routine helps in improving flexibility. Your capacity to carry out bodily duties is based on flexibility. Assisted stretches could be helpful for people who have tight muscles or are recovering from an injury. They also help enhance your body’s flexibility and range of movement. When doing assisted stretches, it’s essential to use proper kind and never push yourself too exhausting. This will allow you to in doing any physical activity comfy with a full range of motion.
We additionally assess the dangers of overstretching and supply suggestions for stretching safely and successfully. Begin your day with gentle stretches to wake up your muscle tissue and enhance circulation. A few cat-cows, spinal twists, or standing forward bends can set a optimistic tone for the day. This advanced technique involves stretching a muscle, contracting it, after which stretching it additional. Often done with a companion, PNF is great for improving flexibility.
Alternate actions similar to yoga might be enjoyable methods to develop a stretching routine. There are quite so much of products too which can be used to stretch specific muscular tissues. Walking, excessive knees, walking lunges, and stair climbing are all examples of dynamic stretching that psychologically put together you for a exercise. In addition, stretching motivates you to fulfill your fitness aims. Stretching and exercising may help you are feeling higher and reduce stress.
Including dynamic stretches throughout your warm-up and static stretches throughout your cool-down phases is an easy approach to add mobility into your programming. Flexibility train through a stretching routine could be started at any age! And enhancements may be seen as early as 3 weeks if performing a stretching routine frequently. For instance, if the front of a person’s thighs and hips will get too tight from a lack of flexibility, the strain will pull on the hips, where the muscles are attached. The result is the pelvis could additionally be pulled forward and cause higher sway in your decrease again.
Before an train, stretching can help improve blood move to the muscle tissue, improve vary of movement, and scale back damage threat. Flexibility coaching is an essential, but typically overlooked health-related component of health. Here are 10 reasons why you ought to be stretching frequently.
However, in case you are stretching before a workout, you must embody dynamic stretches or pre-workout stretches in your routine. Most folks and a number of other authors agree that stretching improves muscle tissue flexibility, which results in better efficiency and less chance of injuries. In static stretching, you maintain your stretch for 10 to 30 seconds.
Dynamic stretches are often used as part of a warm-up to help increase core physique temperature and functionally put together the physique for the actions which are to return. As a outcome, stretching is commonly thought of an important part of harm prevention, as cold muscular tissues and tendons in the body have a greater probability of rupture, strain or sprain. Stretching is a type of bodily exercise during which the body’s muscle is stretched to improve its elasticity. It can profit your body in quite so much of ways, including enhancing flexibility, preventing harm, and selling leisure. It additionally helps you to get your blood pumping and set your self on the right path for the day.
Strength and cardio activities are given precedence over all other types of workouts. Let’s look at stretching and how it might improve your workouts while also boosting your overall well being. Incorporating these stretches right into a day by day routine could lead to higher mobility, making it simpler for seniors to remain independent and revel in life. Benefits of stretching for seniors may embrace smoother motion and enhanced flexibility, contributing to overall well-being.
With elevated blood move to your muscle tissue, you probably can scale back muscle soreness. Your general health is improved with improved blood circulation. Incorporating an everyday stretching routine is a straightforward but effective method to enhance knee health, maintain mobility, and stop injuries.
Performing a dynamic stretching routine earlier than a exercise can help you to increase blood circulate to your muscles. During the dynamic stretch, using controlled movements increases your coronary heart rate. It improves your vary of motion, will increase blood flow and body temperature.Choose stretches which are sport-specific and perform them for minutes. Also, a examine printed by The Journal of Physiology found that easy leg stretches may help enhance blood move and decrease blood pressure all through the body.
“These stretches are sometimes accomplished when the body is already heat,” she provides. Stretching before weight lifting is mostly thought-about useful, as it could assist to arrange the muscles for the workout and scale back the risk of injury. Aim to stretch for no less than minutes a day, and try to embrace both dynamic and static stretches in your routine. Stretching is a crucial a half of any fitness routine, but do you know that there are different types of stretches? Knowing the different types of stretches and when to use them might help you improve your flexibility, range of movement, and general health. A lack of standard stretching makes muscles tight and shortened.
While many individuals view stretching as a approach to relieve muscle soreness or prepare for physical activity, stretching has many benefits. When muscular tissues are tight, they can limit the range of motion in joints and make it tough to perform everyday duties. Stretching helps to loosen muscle tissue and enhance the range of movement. In addition, common stretching might help to enhance posture and cut back the risk of accidents. For these reasons, it may be very important make stretching part of your every day routine. A every day stretching routine might help anybody, whether you are new to fitness or a seasoned athlete.
Therefore, you should recognize the significance of stretching earlier than strenuous physical activity. Dynamic stretching, for instance, is beneficial for warming up and stretching the muscular tissues you plan to use throughout exercise. The study’s authors imagine that this impact is due to increased muscle temperature, making them more elastic and simpler to contract. This stretch routine may be accomplished in just some minutes and can be carried out within the consolation of your individual house. It’s an effective way to begin out your day or wind down after a long day of work.
Our skilled physiotherapists supply a number of methods to assist shoppers in reaching their objectives and enhancing their quality of life. We present assistance for sports activities injuries, persistent circumstances, and post-surgery recovery. Our providers include manual therapy, train prescription, and self-management education. Our clinics are easily accessible and staffed by friendly professionals, schedule an appointment today and expertise the benefits of physiotherapy. In our modern, sedentary lifestyle, poor posture is turning into more and more widespread.
In this article, I’ll outline the benefits of stretching, and how and when you need to go about incorporating stretching into your routine. The two most common kinds of stretching techniques are static and dynamic. Stretching could also be more easy for individuals who frequently exercise and stretch. Individuals new to stretching workouts could have the next threat of injuring themselves.
Consider folding forward and hanging like a rag doll along with your palms holding onto opposite elbows and the burden of your head pulling you downward. Separate your legs into a standing split and fold ahead in the identical manner. Stretch your neck to the best and left, after which attempt to do a full circle, rolling your head all the way around. Stretch your shoulders by bringing one arm throughout your body and holding it together with your other arm. Your muscle tissue get larger as they stretch as a result of tension sends a sign to your muscle tissue to develop, says Behm. Stretching sends a message down into the nucleus of the cell, inflicting an increase in protein synthesis and instructing the muscles to grow, he adds.
By elongating the muscle tissue and lowering tight areas within the connective tissue via stretching,4 your body could have extra movement freedom. For example, if you’re doing lunges, then take a quad and hamstring stretch earlier than transferring on to a squat. Stretching plays a vital position in preserving muscle tissue and joints flexible and cell.
This makes flexibility training essential not only for efficiency but for security in your fitness routine. Flexibility permits for freedom of movement to carry out everyday activities similar to bending over to tie your sneakers, lifting groceries, and vacuuming the floor. These are things that can turn out to be harder as we age, so we need to frequently have interaction in a stretching routine, so these on an everyday basis actions don’t become tough.
Due to the truth that so many people spend a lot time sitting at desks working at computers, experts are nervous that this can be damaging our posture. The extra elastic they’re, the less doubtless they are going to be to rip, which in turn means that you are much less more probably to pull or tear a muscle when you have beforehand stretched it. As we talked about briefly earlier than, whenever you stretch, you don’t want entry to a gym or to any fancy gym or health gear. In the morning, if you get up, attempt reaching down and touching your toes and see how stiff and tense you’re feeling after spending a lot time laying in bed.
People of all ages and health levels can benefit from adding stretching to their day by day routines. Incorporate motion-based workout routines, also called dynamic stretching, to arrange your muscular tissues for day by day activities and promote a full range of movement. These actions heat up your muscular tissues, enhancing blood circulate and getting ready you for more vigorous physical activity.
People who carry out repetitive actions or do a lot of heavy lifting, pushing or pulling as a half of their job ought to make time to stretch after a protracted workday, notes Dr. Robichau. A individual also wants to keep away from stretching their muscular tissues too far, stretching the identical muscles too usually, and bouncing whereas stretching. It is important to heat up earlier than stretching to forestall accidents.
These can lead to well being issues such as headaches, ulcers, and hypertension. It also increases blood circulate and oxygenation, which helps to improve mental alertness. Additionally, stretching can help to improve flexibility and vary of movement. As a result, including stretching to a every day routine could be useful. It is necessary to consult with a physician earlier than beginning any new train program.
When you stretch to arrange muscle tissue, you’re significantly decreasing the probability of an acute or continual harm. Stretching can enhance the standard of life among these with moderate-to-severe neck or shoulder ache. During a randomized control trial of virtually a hundred workplace employees, researchers asked them to carry out a daily stretching program for 4 weeks.