Holiday season is full of activities to entertain and enjoy your self, shopping, decorating, cooking and winter outdoor activities such sledding or ice skating. These celebratory events are all fun and joyful, but, especially throughout the winter season, can cause unforeseen pressure on the body. As a consideration to muscles and trying to avoid accidents, it is vital to apply some of the necessary stretches that the physiotherapy suggests implementing.
Physiotherapy in Edmonton aims at enhancing flexibility, increasing mobility and deferring pain when performing the daily activities, particularly in highly stressful occasions, such as the holidays. Here are five of the best stretches to make your season injury-free and less painful.
The concept of why it is necessary to stretch during the holidays?
Low temperature makes muscles strained, and they are likely to be injured when exercising. It could be the shopping bags weighing on the arms, ornaments within reach, or rolling around the ice rink, a good warm-up stretching routine can:
- Raise the flow of blood to muscles.
- enhance flexible movement and body range.
- Minimize the danger of strains or sprains.
- Reduce stress and help relax.
Stretching regularly also prevents stiffness that arises after long sitting sessions during the holidays or during travelling. These are basic stretches that make a world of a difference in ensuring that you are pain-free and remain active.
5 Stretching exercises advised by physiotherapy to holiday any activities:
1. Standing Hamstring Stretch
The lower back and legs usually are put under pressure in activities during our holidays such as decoration or snow shovelling. The standing hamstrings stretch is used to relieve stress at the back sides of the leg and also promotes flexibility.
The way to do it:
- Have one foot a little in front of the other and bend that foot having the toes pointing up.
- And put your hands on your hips and bend forward till your back is straight.
- Keep 15-20sec and change legs.
This exercise is usually prescribed in a physiotherapy clinic because of its effectiveness in loosening the muscles of the hamstrings to safeguard the lower back.
2. Chest Opener Stretching
Repetitive upper-body movements during the holiday as buying gifts or transporting possession can also be used. The chest opener stretch opens up the chest and the shoulders enhancing the posture and mobility.
Mechanics of performance:
- Stand erect with fingers carried back to back.
- Arch your arms and lift the hands off slightly.
- Keep your abdominal muscles tight and your chest pushed out, pull the shoulder blades in.
- Hold it there 1520 seconds as you take deep breaths.
This extension helps in compensating the impacts of sitting or hunching which is prevalent during the winter season and holidays chores.
3. Seated twisting of the spine
Protracted exposure to a seated position during holiday dinners or in the course of travel, would lead to stiffness in the lower back and spine. The seated spinal twist will assist in enhancing the mobility of the spine and lowering the tension.
Performance:
- Place yourself on a chair with the feet on the ground.
- Anchor your upper body by twisting towards the right where your right hand is on the back of the chair with your left hand on your thigh.
- Repeat on the right side and keep the stretch to 1520 seconds.
This stretch may be used to preserve spinal health and reduce stiffness, which is brought about due to sitting. Physiotherapy in Edmonton provides this intervention.
4. Wall Calf Stretch
The calves may become achy and stiff whether you are walking through the snow or standing on your feet all day long at the mall. The calf stretch enhances the mobility and stops the contraction of lower legs.
Techknique:
- Stand with your back to a wall and place hands on wall as an aid.
- Advance a step with one foot, and put it straight and the heel on the ground.
- Bend down with your front knee and hold your stretched back leg.
- Wait 15 -20 seconds and change the side.
The stretch is helpful to relieve the tension on the calves as well as the Achilles tendon after prolonged walking or standing.
5. Side Stretch
It is also very good to stretch the sides of the torso area and become flexible, and so, the side stretch would be wonderful, when we are leaving heavy things and items to carry during holidays like shopping bags or decorative items.
The Way to Do It:
- Use your feet which are apart to a shoulder width.
- Bring your right arm to the sky and gently bend to the left maintaining straight posture in your torso.
- Use the sensation of stretch on your side and keep it 15 to 20 seconds.
- Go back to the middle, and do again on the opposite side.
It is easy but effective in maintaining the torso flexible and avoiding straining during the holiday operations. In Edmonton, physiotherapy is used to manage the entire mobility in the body as well as assist in body flexibility.
Safe Stretch Tips
- Winter Warm Up: Stretching a winter cold muscle creates many complications, such as serious injury, so remember to warm up first with light movement, such as walking.
- Don t Over stretched: Stretch only to the place of mild tension rather than pain.
- Breathe Deeply: Deep breathing does the job by causing you to relax into the stretch and making the stretch more effective.
- Warm Up and Cool Down: make sure to stretch before and after your workout.
The use of these tips coupled with the suggested stretches will keep you active and without injury during the holidays.
The Tips to Keeping Flexible and Safe over the Holidays
The holidays are cool and exciting periods, as well as times when the body is faced with some emotional Pressure that individuals have not expected such physical demands. Stretching exercises as a process, are easy and effective in keeping one warmed, flexible, and not experiencing any injuries during this festivities. In case of any stiffness or soreness, physiotherapy in Edmonton offers services that direct people on how to be more flexible and to ease the pain. Specific stretches and treatment procedures may help deal with your problem areas so that you will be prepared to enjoy every bit of the season.
Family Physiotherapy of Edmonton will help people who look for a local agency with a physiotherapist near them to stay mobile and avoid injuries. These stretches recommended by physiotherapists can make your holidays pleasant, active, and pain-free in case you consider them as part of your activities.
