Como se tornar mais flexível

Por que perdemos flexibilidade?

We're born with pretty flexible tendons and joints - as anyone who's seen a baby happily nibbling on their toes can testify. But a few years down the line, most of us have already lost an amount of flexibility simply because we're not using our full range of motion.

Nell Mead, physiotherapist, explains that you start losing flexibility as soon as you go to school and start sitting down more.

"If you don't use the stretchy material within your muscle (filaments) then they become shorter," she says.

In addition, as you get older your body naturally becomes less flexible.

Karen Laing, instructor from Fit School, says that as you age, your tendons, ligaments, and muscles lose elasticity and stretch-ability.

Por que a flexibilidade é importante?

In years gone by, it was believed that the more flexible you were, the better it was for your health. However, we now know it's possible to be too flexible. Flexibility is important as it allows you to do the things you need to do with your body - from tying your shoelaces to fastening your clothing. But too much flexibility, including in conditions such as síndrome de Ehlers-Danlos, may mean less control over the movement of your joints.

So how flexible do you need to be?

A quantidade de flexibilidade necessária varia de pessoa para pessoa. Se você espera fazer alguma escalada em montanhas, precisará de um pouco mais de amplitude do que se fizer exercícios caminhando. Além do exercício, todos nós precisamos ter a amplitude de movimento necessária para realizar as tarefas diárias que nos são exigidas.

If you've lost flexibility, whether through age, injury, or insufficient stretching, you may find that you are unable to do a task that was previously in your range of movement. For example, struggling to fasten your bra, or clip your toenails.

One way of ensuring flexibility is maintained is through daily movement and alongamento.

"Try taking your body through its full range of motion every day," advises Mead. "That could be just having a stretch - it could be doing a session of yoga or dance if that's what works for you. The full range every day because then you won't lose it."

Tornando-se mais flexível

Além de manter sua flexibilidade atual, você pode desejar desenvolver mais flexibilidade como parte de um novo regime de exercícios, para prevenir lesões e garantir facilidade de movimento.

Mead explains that the differential here is pain.

"If when you try to stretch into a position your arms or back feel sore, it's worth getting checked out as you may have an injury," she says.

Se você não precisa de tratamento médico, há muitas maneiras de aumentar sua flexibilidade - sendo consciente do seu corpo e realizando exercícios de alongamento. O importante aqui é garantir que você execute qualquer exercício de maneira cuidadosa e controlada para obter o máximo benefício.

Flexibilidade como parte do seu treino

If you simply want to improve or maintain your range of movement, the types of exercise you may want to turn to will differ depending on how you want to use your body. Laing recommends ensuring balance in the different exercises and movements you carry out as part of your fitness regime.

It's easy to neglect flexibility, but crucial to build it into your everyday movement for long-term health and fitness.

Exercícios para ajudar com a flexibilidade