When I went to college, however, I stopped stretching as often and it didn’t take long for my splits to go, too. At that juncture, I realized flexibility—when not prioritized—will begin to weaken throughout life. Research has also shown that stretching can help reduce more intense performance-related injuries2. When proper stretching is not incorporated into a fitness routine—particularly with endurance activities, like running—the chance of developing an overuse injury increases. Taking time to stretch both before and after may mitigate those risks. Plus, it helps to lengthen the muscles and relax the body. Think about it: if you’re sitting for a long period of time and your hips start to tighten up, a deep psoas stretch is likely to melt that tension away and leave you feeling more comfortable. Here: a chiropractors’ go-to stretches for relieving upper-back pain. In a 2014 study, adults over the age of 65 engaged in exercises, including mobility and stretching, two times a week over the course of 12 weeks. By the end, participants showed increased lower-body flexibility, dynamic balance, and lumbar strength4. Another study found that stretching the legs five days a week may lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, for the same reason as above: stretching helps reduce stiffness in the arteries and increase blood flow to the heart.
