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Assessing flexibility in the legs, hips and lower back -
Walking poles -
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Features of a walking shoe
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Video: Step-up exercise
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Video: Lunge exercise
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Video: Squat exercise
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Video: Abdominal crunch
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Slide show: Golf stretches for a more fluid swing -
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Slide show: Stretches you can do in your office - see all
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Slide show
Slide show: How to stretch your major muscle groups
By Mayo Clinic staff
Stretching safely
Stretching is a powerful part of any exercise program. Stretching increases flexibility and improves range of motion of your joints. Stretching even improves circulation and helps relieve stress.
Before stretching, warm up with five to 10 minutes of light activity. Better yet, stretch after you exercise — when your muscles are warm and more receptive to stretching.
When you're stretching, keep it gentle. Breathe freely as you hold each stretch. Don't bounce. Expect to feel tension while you're stretching. If you feel pain, you've gone too far.
Next slide- Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Jan. 19, 2009.
- Montico MP, et al. Injury prevention. In: McKeag DB, et al. ACSM's Primary Care Sports Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2007:133.
- Woods K, et al. Warm-up and stretching in the prevention of muscular injury. Sports Medicine. 2007;37:1089.
- Beedle BB, et al. No difference in pre- and postexercise stretching on flexibility. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2007;21:780.
