5 Benefits of Improved Flexibility

If you have ever felt stiff or restricted when doing certain activities or workouts then it might be time to start working to improve your flexibility. As our bodies age, our flexibility decreases due to general increases in stiffness and loss of elasticity in muscles and tendons. 

There are health benefits to working on improving your flexibility and not only can it improve your overall well being, but it can help you to live a more comfortable life into older age. 

1. Decreased Risk Of Injury

If you are active and regularly participate in activities and sports that require muscle use then flexibility is of extreme importance in reducing the risk of injury. Muscles that are stiff and tight are more likely to be overstretched and strained which can cause injury. 

According to Harvard Medical School, by utilizing stretching to improve your flexibility, your muscles will loosen, lengthen, and stretch. This will allow your body to have a wider range of motion in the joints, which will allow your muscles to extend and stretch more as needed. Many injuries occur because the muscles cannot stretch and move as needed for sports and activities so by improving your flexibility, you will allow those muscles to have the necessary movement to complete the activities that are asked of them. 

2. Improvements in Posture and Balance

Improving your flexibility will not only reduce your risk of injury, but it will allow your muscles to properly stretch and hold your body in the correct posture. When you sit or stand up straight, there are muscles along your spine that help to hold your back in that position. If those muscles are tight then it will be harder to maintain the proper posture because it will feel stiff and uncomfortable. 

Taking classes such as yoga can also help with not only flexibility, but with your balance. They require you to carefully stretch your body and muscles while working to maintain correct posture and balance. Having good balance can benefit you throughout your life whether you are extremely active in sports or not. This can also be beneficial later in life as you age in order to better balance your body and prevent you from falls. 

3. Better Circulation

When our muscles are tight, this can affect how much oxygen and nutrients are moving through our body. In turn, this affects our circulation. By working to stretch and increase flexibility, it will in turn help to improve circulation. 

Poor circulation can result in a variety of health issues including stroke, blood clots, and cardiovascular failure. This is why it is important to do anything possible to increase and improve your circulation. Good circulation can improve your overall health as well as reduce your risk of major health concerns. 

4. Peak Physical Performance

As your flexibility improves, your physical performance will improve as well. When your muscles are able to stretch comfortably and move easily then you will be able to complete any physical activity better than if your muscles are tight and stiff. 

Whether you are heavily involved in a sport or just looking to increase your performance in your workouts, you will see better physical performance when your flexibility is improved. A muscle that is well stretched can achieve the proper range of motion that is needed. An example of this is the flexibility of back muscles in a golfer. When they are more flexible with their back muscles, they can have a better backswing. 

5. Pain Reduction

One of the greatest benefits of improved flexibility is that it can greatly reduce pain. Whether this is back pain, neck pain, or even joint pain, by improving your flexibility you can reduce any sort of body pain you might be experiencing. 

Your body becoming more flexible will allow your muscles and joints to relax, which in turn can lead to you having less pain from joint and muscle stiffness. For those people that experience chronic joint or muscle pain, exercises to increase flexibility can help to alleviate this pain. 

Improving your flexibility can have many health benefits that can be beneficial regardless if you are involved in a specific sport or just as a benefit to your overall wellbeing.Your flexibility can allow you to live your life with less pain, more comfort, and potentially help you to live a longer life. Even if you do not think you need to improve your flexibility, it is in your best interest to take small steps to improve your flexibility in order to live a happier and more comfortable life. 

Discover More Fitness Tips

Increasing your flexibility can improve your overall health in a variety of ways. Whether you would like to improve your circulation or prevent an injury, improving your flexibility can make a significant difference. Do you want to learn more about flexibility? Read the XTERRA blog for more.