1. A Flick of the Wrist Stretch
After a couple games of bowling, cool down with a few simple stretches to get your body back in order. Without turning or twisting, put your palm flat on the table and gently press back into the stretch. Be sure not to hyper-flex the joint and only press until a gentle pull is felt. Hold this stretch for about 10 seconds and repeat a few times until you feel the kink in your wrist loosening up. Also, repeat this stretch on the opposite side of your body as well. This gives you balanced conditioning. A wrist stretch, as well as any other stretch, should never be painful. If you ever feel any pain in any of your joints during post game stretching see your doctor right away. This could mean a repetitive injury. The cumulative effect of repetitive injuries on joints causes things like tendonitis. This could eventually lead to torn ligaments and surgery to repair those torn ligaments.
2. Get a Leg Up on the Competition
When finishing three games of bowling, you are likely to have tired out your sliding leg and a gentle stretch of the thigh might be in order. First, lie on your back with your legs flat. Take your sliding leg and pull your knee to your chest. Hold this stretch for about 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat this about 5 to 10 times, alternating sides for a balanced workout. This stretches not only your thigh, but also your gluteus muscle and lower back as well. Remember, only stretch to a slight pull, never to the point of pain.
3. Back Out of the Game
Back injuries are common for older age groups, and avoiding a back injury is a great plus, especially since, they can put you out of the game for months. Since older age groups are often the ones that enjoy a game of bowling, stretching the back is especially important, pre and post game. Stand straight and gently, with your hand on your hips, twist your shoulders while keeping your hips square with your feet. Hold this stretch for about 5 to 10 seconds and make sure your movement is slow. Repeat each side about five times. This gives your upper body a gentle stretch post game.
4. Arm Yourself
Especially important is gentle stretching to your arms and shoulders. Bring one elbow across your body and, with the opposite hand, pull your elbow up to your shoulder. Hold this for about 10 to 15 seconds and then repeat with the opposite arm. This gives your upper arm and shoulder blades a gentle cool down stretch to get the kinks out. If there is any soreness in any arm joint, especially the elbow, see your doctor. You might be dealing with a repetitive injury.
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