Top 5 Exercises to Improve your Flexibility

Flexibility is an essential component of physical fitness. Not only does it improve balance, coordination, and range of motion, but it can also help reduce the risk of injury and increase overall health and wellbeing.

Here are some reasons why flexibility is important.

1. Improved Balance and Coordination: Flexibility can help improve balance and coordination, which are important for activities such as sports and exercise. Increased flexibility can help you move more easily and with greater precision, making it easier to perform activities such as running, jumping, and throwing.

2. Reduced Risk of Injury: Stretching can help reduce the risk of injury by increasing the range of motion of your muscles and joints. Improved flexibility can help reduce the risk of strains, sprains, and tears. It can also reduce the risk of overuse injuries, as well as helping to improve posture and reduce fatigue.

3. Improved Posture: Flexibility can help improve posture, as it can help to reduce tension in the muscles and joints. Improved posture can help reduce back pain, neck pain, and shoulder pain. It can also help to improve balance and coordination, making it easier to perform everyday activities.

4. Improved Performance: Improved flexibility can help to improve performance in sports and other activities. Increased flexibility can help to improve range of motion and reduce the risk of injury, allowing you to move more freely and with greater precision.

Here are our Top 5 Exercises to Improve your Flexibility

1. Supine Lumbar Twist Stretch: Lying flat on your back, cross one leg over the other by twisting your hips and spine. Keep your opposite arm outstretched. You can hold on to your knee to make the stretch stronger if you feel comfortable.

2. Child’s Pose: Kneel down on the mat, and rest your buttocks on your heels. As you keep your buttocks on your heels, roll forwards and slide your arms forward creating a gentle stretch and lengthening in your back.

3. Back Extension (sometimes called a McKenzie Extension): Lie on your front, and rest on your forearms. Straighten your arms to a 90 degree position as shown. Hold this position. Your back will be arched. Start gently with this exercise as it can cause some stiffness when you first begin.

4. Hamstring Chair Stretch: Bend forwards with straight legs, and lean over the back of a chair. Hold this position, and relax. Repeat as required.

5. Quad Stretch: Pull your foot towards your bottom. If you are unsteady on your feet, make sure you hold on to something sturdy next to you like a wall or a table. You will feel a stretch to the quadricep muscles at the front of your thigh.

Flexibility is an important component of physical fitness. It can help to improve balance, coordination, and range of motion, while reducing the risk of injury. Improved flexibility can also help to improve posture and performance. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you include flexibility exercises in your regular fitness routine.

(Physios and Therapists: these videos are provided by Rehab My Patient – the best exercise prescription software for therapists to prescribe exercises www.rehabmypatient.com. Patients: if you are a patient needing advice, call Surrey Physio to book a telephone/video consultation with one of our expert physios or osteopaths, or book in face-to-face for an appointment. You can call us on 0208 685 6930 or book online by clicking the link at the top of the page).