10 February 2024 , 07:00
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Keeping supple and flexible is really important - and you're never too young to start routinely stretching.
We're all more than aware that exercise is a key part of our daily lives, and being physically fitter can also lead to better mental wellbeing. But did you know that there are three stretches you should be doing daily, to avoid poor blood circulation? And you can start them at any age.
Kieran Sheridan of GulfPhysio, says everyone can benefit from stretching both in the morning and evening, as our lifestyles change, and we become increasingly more sedentary thanks to office work.
As millions of us spend our days tap-tapping away at our desks, more and more people are presenting to their GPs with neck, back and shoulder pain. Stretching can help the body become more flexible and create a healthy range of motion in the joints to prevent injuries and muscle soreness daily, reports Wales Online.
If you're suffering from shoulder pain, spending too much time sitting with improper posture, can cause your shoulders to become sore. As a result, he recommends doing shoulder rolls. To prevent shoulder pain, Sheridan also said doing a shoulder stretch across the chest can help you ease any symptoms you may be having.
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To do shoulder rolls:
Extend the right arm in front of you
Wrap the left arm around the right elbow and gradually pull towards the chest. You hold this position for half a minute
Switch to the left side and hold it again for 30 seconds
If you're experiencing back pain thanks to sitting all day in uncomfortable chairs, Sheridan says you can try out a spine rotation, which is a kind of dynamic stretching. To do this:
Stand with the knees slightly bent
Inhale as you stick out your chest and reach your arms above your head
Exhale as you gradually lower your arms and then twist followed by reaching to one side. Do this five times on each side
And neck pain is common thanks to poor posture at a desk, so to reduce neck pain, Sheridan advises doing neck rolls. This can be done simply by gently rolling the head in a circular motion, clockwise and counter-clockwise.
Even if you're not experiencing any painful symptoms at the minute, but work at a desk or sit down for long periods during the day, it's important to incorporate these stretches into your daily life.
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