Whether done on your own or with assistance from a personal trainer or physical therapist, static stretching increases your flexibility over time. No matter what your age, it’s important to do stretches that help you stay flexible. Working on your flexibility helps you improve your posture, releases tension in your muscles, reduces your risk of injury and helps you mentally relax. The American Council on Exercise recommends that you do exercises or stretches that work on your flexibility for 30 minutes at least three times per week.
Static stretching helps increase your range of motion. As you age, your joints tend to become stiff. Doing stretches that work on loosening your joints helps relieve stiffness and helps you maintain your normal joint movement. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, maintaining or improving the range of motion in your joints will help you prevent arthritis and chronic pain. If you have arthritis, stretching is one form of exercise your doctor will recommend. Even if you don't have arthritis now, it's never too early to incorporate regular static stretching into your day to help prevent or delay its onset.
Exercise, including stretching, helps increase your circulation. As your circulation increases, you’ll benefit from oxygen getting to your muscles and brain faster. Your organs and tissues will also benefit from an increase in circulation -- you’ll be able to fight off infections easier thanks to the quicker rate that white blood cells and natural antibodies flow throughout your body.
Static stretching is more beneficial when done at the end of your workout if you're running or playing some type of sport that requires endurance. If your favorite form of exercise relies more on flexibility and less on endurance -- for example, dancing or gymnastics -- than static stretching is beneficial at the start of your session. Even if you don’t plan to add stretching as part of your regular workout, you can still do static stretching by itself as a break throughout your day or take a class, such as yoga, that focuses more on stretching. If you have a difficult time doing static stretches on your own, do your stretches with the assistance of a friend, family, personal trainer or physical therapist. Before starting any exercise or stretching program, consult with your doctor or health-care provider first to make sure the type of program you’re starting is right for you.
