Stretching your muscles can be very benificial and a great way to incurage the results your massage therapist worked so hard for. But you need to be careful not to injure yourself while stretching.
Follow these 5 principles of stretching to reduce the risks of injury.
- Stretch only to the point where you feel tightness or resistance to the stretch or perhaps some discomfort. Stretching should never be painful.
- Always stretch slowly and with control.
- Hold stretches for at least 30 seconds, and repeat each stretch 3 times.
- Be sure to breathe normally during a stretch. Do not hold your breath.
- Be sure to warm your muscles before stretching. You can warm your muscles by exercising lightly, by taking a warm bath or shower, or by applying heat.