Do you stretch and massage your muscles and joints after or before your workout? Doing so can reduce stress, prevent injury and enhance your athletic performance, as well as make the activities of daily living easier.
I do my best to stretch/massage on a daily basis. The older I get the less flexible I have become. Some mornings I wake up stiff like the tin man from the Wizard of Oz. Other mornings I wake up and feel limber like Lola, my cat. I do some yoga poses that target my entire body. I love downward dog pose, because it stretches the back body all in one pose!
After I’ve completed some stretches specific to my needs in that moment, I perform a full body, “Self Myo Fascial Release” Technique, which involves rolling out on a 3 foot long 6 inch diameter foam roller. I like to think of it as massaging or ironing out the trigger points or kinks in my muscle tissue.
You can also take a rolling pin and roll out your quads. Try using a tennis ball and rolling on it while lying on your back. You should always linger for 20 – 30 seconds (or as long as you like) on a trigger point. Sometimes I’ll linger on my hips or the knot in my right quadricep. I’ll feel a slight twinge of pain where the knot is located. I’ll remember to linger on it. I have also used a golf ball to roll out the fascia on my feet.
Get creative as you stretch and massage. You’ll notice a difference over time.
