Stretching Is Important!
We know that stretching matters but what kind of stretching actually works is something many people may not realize.
One particularly important type of stretching is Passive Stretching. As the name suggests, it is passive, meaning it cannot be done on your own and requires assistance either from another person or from specialized equipment (learn more here).
In general, we can stretch by ourselves, but self-stretching is often not sufficient to fully stretch all muscle groups.
For example, the hips are a central hub where many muscle groups come together and directly affect all movements of the legs lifting, kicking, opening, and closing. We use these muscles every single day. The hips are also a key connection point to the spine, which makes the muscle attachments in this area particularly complex. Fully stretching every muscle in the hip region is not easy, especially muscles that lie close to the bones, such as the iliopsoas, an important muscle in the hip flexor group. This muscle is constantly used when we bend forward, lift our legs, walk, or run, and it is attached near the spine and pelvis.
Because of this complexity, stretching these muscles “deeply” and effectively is very difficult (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscles_of_the_hip).
The same applies to arm movement, which relies on multiple muscle groups in the chest and shoulders, especially the muscles surrounding the shoulder blades. These muscles are just as complex, and properly releasing tension around the scapula requires stretching multiple areas in combination (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scapula).
If you feel that stretching on your own at home is not enough and want to try Passive Stretching, seeking help from a professional can ensure that your muscles are stretched accurately and effectively. At Stretch me, our expert physical therapists are ready to help right where your body needs it most.