Many girls dream of an ideal split: both longitudinal and transverse. In achieving this goal, stretching is their faithful friend and assistant.
But often a person sees only the result in front of him, but not the path. But in vain. After all, the road to what you want can be painful and traumatic. Typically, stretching classes are held in groups, where some do it better and some worse. And so the student looks at her flexible classmates, suffers muscle pain, without telling the coach. And then bam - and injury.
Maria Andrianova and I
We figured out why you can’t endure pain during stretching and how to learn not to chase others.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Bend the unbending: how to do yoga if there is no stretching?
Do not keep your back in a neutral position while stretching
Maintaining a neutral back falls under the category of “good stiffness.” When you bend your hips, there should be no rounding in your lower back.
When stretching the front surface of the thigh, the opposite problem occurs - the lower back overextends and the person arches forward.
And when stretching the upper body, many people do it with an arched lower back:
Stretching for neurological problems
Intervertebral disc problems with radicular symptoms in the legs may be worsened by hamstring strains. These muscles can become “stiff” in response to excessive lordosis (arching) of the lower back, which unevenly loads the discs and can lead to protrusions and hernias.
The muscles of the back of the thigh are attached to the pelvis at the back from above and to the leg below the knee - from below. The central nervous system strains them to keep the pelvis from further tilting, so that the deflection does not increase until spondylosis - a fracture of the vertebrae.
Similar problems can happen if people with thoracic outlet syndrome do aggressive stretching of the upper body. If the nerves don't glide the way they should, the last thing you should do is tug on them.
This again includes stretching the lumbar muscles. They are often spasmed to fix the problem area. Their deliberate relaxation with manual therapy, massage or stretching can provoke an exacerbation of hernias. The main rule of working with the lower back: if you don’t know, don’t interfere (almost like with electricity).
What happens to muscles when stretched?
During such training, muscles lengthen and shorten, developing and improving their elasticity.
Pain is an alarm signal that we receive from the nervous system and notifies us of danger. Most often it hurts in the places where muscles attach to bones, in tendons. This is a bell - the muscles have reached their limit and can no longer withstand the tension. After the muscles, the load goes on to the tendons: that same pain under the knee that is familiar to almost everyone. Pain can also occur due to improper technique of performing the exercise.
If you move within the range of your capabilities, gradually teaching the nervous system amplitudes (after all, it sits at the head of the table), then there will be no pain as such.
Maria Andrianova
stretching trainer
Only pleasant, sometimes nagging sensations in the range of up to 6 points on a 10-point scale are acceptable. But not sharp, shooting or burning pain. Of course, if you are a beginner, your muscles may be a little sore in the morning, because training is stressful for them. But these sensations should pass on the first or second day after class.
Do not tighten your glutes when stretching the front of your thighs.
Aggressive stretching of the hip joint while placing the knee on the floor causes the head of the femur to move forward out of the acetabulum and damage the joint capsule. Therefore, you need to balance the movement with tension in the gluteal muscles - the gluteus maximus pulls the femoral head back during extension, and the anterior hip capsule is not loaded.
If you already have pain in the front of the hip joint, stretching the hip extensor muscles (its front surface) is not recommended - this may worsen the problem.
Gymnastics for arthrosis
Lesions in the hip joint occur with a frequency of up to 10% among all population groups. If we take only the age over 50 years, then the prevalence of pathology is significantly higher. Up to 70% of people suffer from coxarthrosis, and another third of this figure suffers from tendon damage. This disease is called trochanteritis. It occurs due to overload in the work of the limb. The tendons stretch, microcracks appear, and then aseptic inflammation develops. Untreated trochanteritis leads to limited movement in the hip joint, which contributes to the progression of arthrosis.
X-rays can distinguish arthrosis from trochanteritis. In the second case, the joint space does not change.
Whatever the symptoms, exercise will help alleviate them, which will affect the patient’s activity in a positive way. However, exercise alone is often not enough. Doctors of various specialties use different treatment regimens for the disease. The most relevant ones are discussed below.
- Plasmapheresis. The essence of the procedure is to cleanse the blood of immune complexes that damage bone tissue. The method is not bad in preventing the progression of the disease, but it is not able to restore already impaired joint functions. It is necessary to repeat the procedure many times, since immune complexes will again accumulate in the plasma.
- Taking NSAIDs. Drug therapy is aimed only at relieving acute inflammation and pain. Does not reduce the progression of joint space narrowing. Negatively affects the gastrointestinal tract, causing erosions and ulcers in the upper sections.
- Swimming. Exercising in the pool helps improve range of motion in the joints. These workouts can perfectly complement gymnastics done at home.
- Introduction of stem cells. The advertising of the method is excellent - aging slows down, which means destructive processes in the joint are reduced. In practice, the technique does not work, as has been proven by numerous controlled studies, so it is no longer used at present.
- Unique healing gymnastics. This is the main method that has truly positive results on the functioning of the joint. Neurologist professor Irina Bubnova considers this method of treatment mandatory for all categories of patients.
However, no method can compare in effectiveness with endoprosthetics. Only surgery can radically change the quality of life of a patient suffering from deforming arthrosis of the hip joint. But as an additional aid to patients to facilitate postoperative rehabilitation or slow the progression of coxarthrosis, physical exercise helps better than other treatment methods.
Stretch where it’s not the muscles, but the bone blocks
There are many things that can limit the range of motion in a joint. Sometimes the problem is in the bones when they no longer fit together so that the movement in the joint is complete and complete - this is called congruence. Bone “calluses” and growths can be, for example, in the shoulder joints or ankles in front. Sometimes the cause is injury, the stiffness of the joint capsule. Before you delay, it is better to find out the reason.
Is it possible to ignore pain?
Any pain and unusual sensations should be paid attention to and should not be ignored under any circumstances. In general, during classes you need to immerse yourself in your feelings and set up a dialogue with the body. All signals are given in order to protect him from possible injuries.
The solution to the problem depends on what kind of pain it is, with what movements it occurs. In any case, you should tell your coach about your feelings, and he will tell you what to do.
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Stretch while resting between sets
When working with weights, it is important that the target muscles are involved in the work at the same time, and the antagonists relax. During stretching between sets, some of the muscles may relax and will be slightly delayed in engaging in work during the next approach with weight, this can lead to injury. In order for the muscles to work synchronously, so that all muscles are equally ready for the load, it is better not to stretch between approaches.
The second problem is that stretching makes you weaker for a while. It reduces the effect of elastic deformation of connective tissue. What does it mean? When we perform an exercise with weights, it occurs not only due to muscle contraction, but also due to the help of the connective tissue that surrounds the muscles - fascia, ligaments, etc. It is an elastic fabric that can stretch and compress like a spring. This is how the body saves a little energy: muscle contraction requires energy, but connective tissue contraction does not, it works like a spring and provides energy purely mechanically.
Don't chase others
Remember that stretching is not rushed; it is not a race. There are no winners or losers here.
To disconnect from the pressure to keep up with others, ask yourself who you are doing this for. Here, only the answer “for yourself” is acceptable; any other options will not lead you to anything good.
The development of flexibility depends on many factors: the properties of muscles and ligaments, intermuscular balance, gender, emotional state, presence/absence of injury and much more. Some people will need a week to achieve results, while others will take months, and that's normal.
Maria Andrianova
stretching trainer
We compare ourselves with those about whom we know absolutely nothing. You just have to understand that if you chase someone, there is a high chance of getting injured, missing out on the opportunity to focus on yourself, and simply wasting your time. And you won’t get any pleasure from the activity. If you compete, then only with yourself, to become the best version of yourself.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Rock and bounce while stretching
When tissue is stretched in an unusual way, receptors on it read information and send a signal to the spinal cord that there is a threat of rupture. It responds with a reflex contraction of the muscle to stop the dangerous stretch. This is called the myostatic reflex.
In an untrained person, it turns on quickly and plays a protective role, preventing injuries. This looks like a complete lack of flexibility, when the amplitude in the joint is very small, and it is impossible to move further.
But if you stretch regularly, over time the nervous system becomes more and more stable and the reflex brakes are pushed back further. This is how a person becomes more and more flexible.
But springing, swinging with a “bounce” during stretching, using inertia to sink deeper or reach further, you can get injured - the myostatic reflex will not work in time. Therefore, move slowly, smoothly and only forward.
Gymnastics Evdokimenko
Since the early 2000s, Dr. Evdokimenko’s practice of therapeutic exercises has become widespread in medical practice. Today he is a well-known rheumatologist, a specialist in joint restoration through physical training. Has the status of academician at one of the Moscow technical universities. His medical career began in 1984, when the future specialist received a paramedic education. The further period is associated with practical work and study at the institute, which Pavel Evdokimenko graduated from in 1994. From that moment on, he chose the direction of physical therapy for various osteo-articular pathologies as his specialization.
Pavel Evdokimenko.
Further work at the arthrosis center in Moscow, and then subsequent improvements at the Research Institute of Rheumatology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, prompted the doctor to develop a set of exercises that help prolong the active function of the joints. In 2003, the first book was published, telling in detail about the method of Pavel Evdokimenko. Today, exercise is recognized throughout the world and helps slow the progression of coxarthrosis. Even in the most difficult situations, when surgical intervention is already inevitable, the use of therapeutic exercises can dramatically reduce postoperative rehabilitation.
Although gymnastics can heal arthrosis, it cannot completely replace the installation of a prosthesis. However, there are significant positive qualities that are discussed below.
- Strengthening the thigh muscles. The less their atrophy, the easier it is to move the limb. A strengthened muscle frame will help reduce the load on the painful joint, thereby slowing down the progression of arthrosis.
- Activation of blood flow in the synovium. Improving the blood supply to the affected hip helps reduce the rate of reduction of the joint space. This is achieved by increasing the production of synovial fluid. As a result, friction in the joint is reduced and functionality is increased.
- Reducing osteoporosis. Achieved by increasing active movements in the joint. The processes of rarefaction of bone tissue are reduced, as the work of osteoblasts is activated.
- Strengthening the back frame. Since physical training stimulates muscle activity not only in the thigh, but also in the buttock and lumbar region, the load on the affected joint and spine is further reduced. This makes movement easier and also relieves pain.
- Increasing joint resistance to physical stress. This is achieved through long training.
- Easy adaptation in the postoperative period during joint replacement. Since the muscles, as well as the ligamentous apparatus, are in an optimally developed state, even the first steps after surgery are easier to bear, and rehabilitation will be short and painless.
Gymnastics video:
All exercises according to Evdokimenko’s method are performed many times. No major changes in the joint will occur within a month of training, so you need at least six months. But the systematic use of gymnastics promotes significant clinical improvement. The patient will feel a significant improvement in walking, as well as a decrease in pain.