Stretching For Better Balance Enhancing Stability And Coordination
Many people at V.I.P. 1 to 1 Fitness Center in Fort Lee, NJ, use stretching as a warm-up or cool-down exercise. When done at the end of a workout, it increases flexibility to prevent injuries that can occur when muscles are tight. People often overlook stretching to improve balance, stability, and coordination. These abilities are often overlooked but play a huge role in safety. If your coordination, stability, or balance are lacking, walking isn’t easy and can cause an injury. Even walking on a flat surface without falling can be difficult.
Balance is vital for independent living.
You don’t have to hike, ski, or try to stand on a moving train to appreciate how beneficial good balance is. You use it when you climb stairs or step on a cat toy or sock lying on the floor. Any uneven surface could cause a fall if your balance is askew. Without good balance, even walking on level ground can cause a fall. Doing calf, hip, quad, and hamstring stretches can help with balance. They keep your muscles loose so your joints align correctly. One example of good balance is standing on one foot without falling.
Stretching helps you maintain stability.
Stability and balance go hand in hand, but they’re not the same. Balance is about your weight evenly distributed to avoid falling. Stability is about the ability to stay erected and grounded against external forces. If someone pushes another lightly, a person with stability issues might fall, while one who is stable will remain standing. Stretches that work the core, hips, and knees contribute to stability.
Coordination synchronizes muscles to make movement efficient.
Consider all the different muscles you use when you take one step, yet you probably do it seamlessly without thinking. That’s because your muscles work together and perform simple actions with ease. Compare that to the first time you tried to ski or do a new dance move. You probably looked and felt awkward. Without coordination, it doesn’t matter how balanced or stable your body is: each movement is challenging and takes extra thought. In addition to the stretches already mentioned, doing upper body stretches, such as rolling a ball up a wall as your body remains in the same spot, is another stretch to add.
- Do dynamic stretching before you exercise to warm muscles and static stretching to increase the range of motion near the end when the muscles are warm.
- Stretching improves the range of motion and can improve your posture. If your posture is perfect, it helps your balance and stability.
- Stretching helps strengthen muscles and improves the range of motion. The stronger and more flexible the muscles are, particularly in the lower body, the more improved balance and stability are.
- Standing on one leg challenges balance. Start with your feet hip-width apart. Lift one foot and hold for 10-30 seconds. Lower it and do the other leg. You can make it harder by grasping the shin of the lifted leg and pulling it toward you or closing your eyes when doing the stretch.
For more information, contact us today at VIP Fitness Center