Muscle pain, also known as myalgia, is extremely common and will affect most people at some point. Muscle pains typically subside on their own within a short time. However, some can linger for months.
Muscle pain can be felt in any body part, including the neck, back, legs and shoulders. You may feel pain, soreness, cramping, aching, stiffness or burning. Common causes of muscle pain include stress, injury, overexertion, tension and underlying medical conditions like athritis.
Benefits of Daily Stretching
Muscle pain can affect your productivity, making it a hindrance to your daily life. Incorporating daily stretching into your routine can help relieve and prevent muscle pain. Below are some of the benefits of stretching:
Increases Flexibility
Daily stretching can help improve your flexibility by increasing muscle elasticity and joint range of motion. This reduces the risk of injury.
Better Posture
Muscle imbalances could lead to poor posture and discourage proper alignment. Regular stretching can help strengthen the affected muscle groups, encourage alignment and improve posture.
Improves Blood Flow
Stretching increases blood flow to the muscles, which boosts oxygen levels and increases the nutrients that reach the muscles. Stretching may also help rid metabolic waste like ammonia and carbon dioxide.
Stretching Exercises to Help Relieve Muscle Pain
Stretching aching muscles helps reduce tension and soreness. Ensure your stretches are gentle to avoid inflicting more damage to the muscle groups. Here are some gentle stretching exercises that can aid recovery from muscle soreness.
Neck Stretches
Neck pain is often a result of poor posture or stress-induced muscle tension. Some basic neck stretches include:
Lateral Flexion Stretch — Ear to Shoulder
Gently tilt your head to one side as if to touch the ear to the shoulder until a stretch is felt along the side of the neck. Repeat on the other side. Keep the shoulders down and back in a comfortable but healthy posture.
Flexion Stretch — Chin to Chest
Gently bend the head forward, bringing the chin towards the chest until you feel a stretch in the back of the neck.
Back Stretches
Back pain is a common problem among people of all ages and is often caused by sedentary lifestyles, pulled muscles or underlying conditions like kidney stones. Stretches to help relieve lower back pain are:
Back Flexion Stretch
Lying on your back, pull both knees to the chest while simultaneously flexing the head forward until a comfortable stretch is felt across the mid and lower back.
Knee to Chest Stretch
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Then, place both hands behind one knee and pull it towards the chest. Hold for a few seconds, release and switch sides.
Leg Stretches
Leg pains are often a result of overexertion or injuries. Incorporate these exercises into your routine:
Hip Flexor Stretch
Sit on the floor with your back straight, place the heels of your feet together and pull the heels towards you while slowly pushing the knees down.
Leg Raises
Lie on your back with both arms resting at your side, slowly lift a leg while keeping it straight and hold for a few seconds. Lower it to the floor as slowly as possible and repeat with the other leg.
Chest Stretches
Chest pains are a result of muscle strain or rib injury. Stretches that can help relieve chest pains include:
Behind the Back — Elbow to Elbow Grip
Begin with your arms hanging by your sides and shoulders pressed down away from the ears. Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together, broaden the chest, bring your arms behind the back and grip elbow-to-elbow.
Above the Head Stretch
Bend your elbows, interlock your fingers behind the head, gently squeeze your shoulder blades together and move your elbows backward. Hold this position for a few seconds before releasing.
Shoulder Stretches
Shoulder pain is common, affecting 18 to 26 per cent of adults. Follow these exercises to relieve shoulder pain at home:
Across-the-chest Stretch
Bring one arm across your chest, place it in the crease of your other arm’s elbow and hold this position for a minute. Switch sides and repeat.
Shoulder Circles
Stand with one hand on the back of a chair and allow the other hand to hang down. Circle your hanging hand five times in each direction and repeat on the opposite side.
While stretching is a great way to relieve muscle pain, listen to your body and avoid overstretching. Remember to always check with a health professional such as Our Chiro Brisbane before doing any exercises or stretches. If muscle pain persists or worsens despite stretching or you want to address the underlying condition, consult Our Chiro Brisbane for professional evaluation and treatment. Our Chiro Brisbane – Chiropractor and musculoskeletal services in Brisbane, Newstead, Teneriffe, Fortitude Valley, New Farm and Bowen Hills .
REFERENCES:
https://www.healthline.com/health/muscle-aches
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stretching#Effectiveness
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-017-0797-9
https://www.jmptonline.org/article/S0161-4754(16)30247-0/fulltext
https://www.healthline.com/health/why-does-stretching-feel-good#why-it-feels-good
https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/back-pain
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4836557/
