Flexibility

Have you ever wished that you were more flexible? There is no need to worry because you are not alone! Although, it is common for people to wish that they were more flexible but they do not practice to achieve their wish. If you feel stiffness or tightness and can not seem to put your shoes on in the morning without some serious effort, then flexibility training is exactly what you need! Luckily for you, Park Physical Therapy  in Massapequa treats patients who are dealing with flexible issues!

Flexibility is needed to perform everyday activities with relatives ease. To get out of bed, bending down, or even sweeping the floor, we need flexibility!

Dancers are constantly asking questions such as “how can I get more flexible?” “how do i get into the splits?” and “what are the best ways to stretch?” In the dancing world, there are many myths about how to get more flexible, but many of these ways can actually become very dangerous. Also, keep in mind that even if you are not a dancer, flexibility is still vital!

Four steps to becoming flexible:

Understand your flexibility needs by:

• Decreasing muscles soreness after a workout
• Decreasing risk of injury
• Improving performance
• Reducing pain

Determine what is holding you back

• It may be that you have a difficult time bending forward to touch your toes
• Hamstrings, lower back, hip flexors, and glutes are too tight

Pay attention to what you eat and ensure that you are fueling with nutrition

• Maintain a healthy diet, eat more green leafy vegetables and increase your protein and calcium
• Drink plenty of water, the body is mostly water
• Understand how to balance nutrition and fitness

Include both the positive and negative motions when stretching

• If you are stretching on your left, stretch on your right too
• If you do not feel a little strain in your muscles, you are not doing it in a way that will prove beneficial

 Flexibility tends to deteriorate with ages, due to a sedentary lifestyle. Staying active and stretching regularly will help prevent this loss of mobility and allow the person to stay independent as age goes on.

At Park Physical Therapy we aim to provide high quality and compassionate care to our clientele. Located in Massapequa, Park PT has been serving Long Islanders who deal with post-surgical rehab, sports injuries, injuries to the neck and back, vestibular disorders, balance training and much more! Contact us today to see how the can help you!