What Happens If You Don't Stretch After Working Out?

Putting on your spandex, let alone working out, might be difficult on certain days. If you're pushed for time or have a million other things to do, you may finish your jog, bike, or weight training exercise and head straight to the shower. Stretching, on the other hand, is an important element of a good workout program, and neglecting it might have negative implications beyond feeling stiff the next day.

"Flexibility is vital because it allows muscles and joints to move through their complete range of motion," Tim Waanders, a physical therapist at Finish Line Physical Therapy in New York, explained. "If your flexibility is limited, it might put strain on other structures or muscle groups that aren't equipped to take the added pressure."

Here's what happens if you don't stretch on a regular basis, both in the short and long term. Experts also discuss how to stretch properly and how long a post-workout stretch should be.

It's possible that your posture will sag.

Because we sit for so much of the day, many of us have a posture deficit to begin with.

"The muscles in the front of your chest and upper body can get really tight if you sit all day," said Maura Iversen, spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association and professor of public health, physical therapy, and human movement science at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut.

When you combine being inactive for the most of the day with not stretching after an exercise, bad posture can lead to considerable discomfort over time.

"A person will eventually have muscular imbalances, which will enhance discomfort because some muscles are shortened, causing the neurological system to go into overdrive," Waanders added.

It's a lot simpler to be hurt.

That's because if you don't stretch, your muscles lose their ideal length-tension connection, as defined by physical therapists. This is a muscle that has the appropriate amount of tension for its length. When this is out of whack, other muscles are forced to carry weight they weren't built to handle.

Waanders explained, "This is usually what leads to injury." "Tendonitis and/or muscular strains are the most prevalent ailments, depending on which muscles are carrying excessive loads vs which muscles should be carrying the burden." Because the joints don't move as freely as they should owing to poor flexibility, this might lead to arthritis in the long run."

You won't be able to provide your utmost effort throughout your workouts.

Yes, taking a few additional minutes at the conclusion of a workout to stretch may seem like a waste of time, but it's really preparing your body for the next sweat session.

Consider how you exercise: the more you do an activity, the longer and harder you can push yourself. Stretching is a crucial element of the stamina equation; if you don't do it, your effort will suffer.

"Poor mobility can impair your athletic ability and coordination, making it difficult to complete certain workouts," Waanders explained. "If you're a biker or a runner, you'll find it impossible to accomplish such activities [without stretching] because you won't be able to move the way you should."

As you become older, your body demands stretching.

"As we become older, our muscles and joints deteriorate," Iversen remarked. "This can lead to a loss in range of motion, which stretching can help with."

Waanders also mentioned that older folks may sit for longer periods of time than they did when they were younger, which goes back to starting with tight muscles before even lacing up your footwear.

"This creates a vicious cycle of inactivity," he explained. "When it is more difficult for people to move, they are less inclined to exercise." As a result, there is even greater immobility, and the cycle continues."

Stretching after any type of action, no matter how severe or little, can assist to prevent tight muscles from forming as a result of sitting, allowing you to stay active as you age.

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