To protect against the negative effects of cold weather, Dr. Eby suggests two different types of stretches.
You may prepare your muscles ready for activity by performing dynamic stretches. Flowing motions that are repeated over and over again, such as moving quickly, are included in them. As a result of the activity, blood, heat, and oxygen are sent to the muscles, which enables them to function more effectively and reduces the likelihood that they may tear. The greatest time to complete them is while you are inside during the winter.
For the majority of the year, you just need a few minutes of dynamic stretching before engaging in an activity, and you may choose to concentrate on only the muscles that you will be utilizing (for example, the muscles in your legs before going for a walk). However, when the temperature drops, everything becomes more constrictive, and you need to perform a dynamic warm-up for your entire body. Holding each knee to your chest, performing lunges or squats, making circles with your arms, and twisting your trunk to the left and right are all recommended exercises. In the range of ten to fifteen minutes, Dr. Eby recommends that you relax.
When your muscles are already warmed up, such as after an exercise, you should only perform static stretches. These stretches help to maintain the length and flexibility of your muscles.
In order to perform a static stretch, you must maintain a specific position for twenty to thirty seconds without bouncing, as this actions might cause muscle fibers to rip. Among the examples are:
clasping your hands behind you, straightening your arms, and lifting them toward the ceiling, to stretch your chest and shoulders reaching for your toes while sitting on the floor with your legs out in front of you, to stretch the hamstrings (in the back of your thigh) doing a deep lunge while keeping your back heel planted on the ground, to stretch your calf muscles.
You will feel better after performing static stretches, and they will also lengthen your muscles, which will help you combat stiffness, expand your range of motion, and improve your posture, balance, and agility. As a preventative step or to alleviate pain and stiffness, Dr. Eby urges his patients to perform these exercises on a daily basis.
