The importance of stretching: I see hundreds of pain patients on a weekly basis, who have lower back pain as a result of stiff muscles. As you get older, you will have a decline in mobility because of the decrease in physical activity. Your tendons and ligaments get tighter and pull your body out of alignment, thereby causing increased spinal, groin, knee, calves, and pain in the arches. When it’s time to be more physically active or perform a physical task, you may feel weak, and strain a muscle, damage your spinal cord, or cause moderate to severe joint pain.
It’s important to strive to keep muscles flexible, strong, and elongated, because it helps maintain motion in the joints. Stretching your entire body daily for at least 15 minutes will keep your muscles and joints flexible. I recommend stretching four times per day for people who have sedentary jobs. Sitting for long periods of time can increase tension in the neck, shoulders, lower back, hips, quadriceps, hamstrings, knees, and calves. Sitting for long periods of time can also cause the psoas muscles to tighten, causing moderate to severe pain in the lower back, hips, and groin. People may have difficulty standing upright, have sensations of stabbing, piercing pain in the lower lateral lumbar spine, and experience tightness in their groin while walking. If this occurs, please perform the psoas release stretches that can be found by “googling psoas muscle release”, click of “videos” and follow any of the videos listed four times per day. Please try to stretch during your breaks. If you’re unable to release the psoas muscle on your own, please follow up with your general practitioner or primary care physician for a referral to physical therapy. Treatment plan for muscle tightness may include physical therapy, muscle relaxers, daily stretches, and the use of heating and ice packs.
Reference:
Inspiring. (2019). Office exercise set. Body workout for office worker. Neck, shoulder and back stretch. Isolated vector cartoon.