Stretch marks, also known as "striae," are a common skin complaint. Stretch marks will first appear on the skin as red, unevenly textured stripes or lines. Preventive care can decrease your chances of developing striae, but there are no...
Pain in the back of your ankle may be from injury to or tightness in your Achilles tendon. Stretching the muscles of your calf is a good way to address this condition. By loosening up the tendon and the muscles surrounding it, you can reduce the...
Static stretches, when held for a period of time, relax and lengthen your muscles. They elongate tight and constricted muscles. Stretching after a workout reduces muscular soreness and promotes flexibility. Doing each stretch twice and holding the...
Syncope is simply fainting followed by a quick recovery, and there are several possible causes. Stretch syncope results from stretching the upper portion of your body in an unnatural manner. Excessive arching of your back or hyper-extending the...
The butterfly stretch is a commonly used stretch to target the adduct muscles of your thighs. The stretch gets its name from how your legs look like the outstretched wings of a butterfly. The butterfly stretch requires no extra exercise equipment...
Proper stretching, done at the right times, can help improve your posture and increase your flexibility. Unfortunately, many exercise aficionados still follow outdated stretching techniques, which can weaken their physical performance and increase...
The plantar fascia is a thick tissue, or tendon, on the bottom of your foot. It connects at the heel bone. When it is inflamed, a condition called plantar fasciitis can develp. This condition can be very painful, making simple tasks such as...
Stretching your deltoids can enhance your post-workout recovery after performing shoulder exercises. Light deltoid stretches in between heavy weightlifting may also improve your ability to complete additional sets and to achieve maximal muscle and...
The contractions that occur during strength training, contract and shorten skeletal muscle. To balance the body and counter this action, it's important to stretch and lengthen the muscles. According to the Mayo Clinic, stretching improves...
The jumps, tumbling and stunting of cheerleading require a great deal of flexibility. Prior to cheerleading practice or training, do dynamic stretching, which uses movement to warm up your muscles and ready them to perform. To improve your...
Stretch marks (striae) are indented pink, red or purplish streaks that eventually fade in color according to the Mayo Clinic. Stretch marks often have a different texture than the rest of your skin. Although they are commonly associated with...
The large muscle that runs the back of the upper leg, the hamstring plays a vital role in mobility. The hamstring bends the knee and moves the thigh backward at the hip, allowing you to run and compete in any number of athletic activities. Always...
Your hamstrings consist of three muscles located at the back of your thighs. Tight hamstrings are a common problem, especially among people who spend a lot of time sitting. Tight hamstrings can lead to poor posture, which can lead to back and neck...
Stretching is a crucial, yet often overlooked part of most workout programs. Warm-up stretching is necessary to prevent injury while working out; you should also perform a cool-down to increase flexibility and prevent soreness. Most workouts,...
The soleus muscle is also known as your calf muscle and runs just below the back of your knee to the heel. The calf muscle is a powerful muscle that contracts while walking and standing. If over trained by running, jumping or other high intensity...
Your shins refer to a group of muscles and tissues in the front part of your lower leg. They work with other muscles in your legs and feet to flex and extend your feet and knees. Stretching your shin can alleviate stress and tension often caused...
Many people stretch before and after exercise. Stretching also can be beneficial to your muscles during long periods of inactivity because it provides increased circulation, flexibility and range of motion. It also can help relieve stress,...
Nerve stretching reduces tightness in the nerve pathway between muscles and connective tissues, increasing the extensibility of your joints and tissues. It also reduces or eliminates pain and numbness associated with nerve compression between...
The adductor muscle is the prime mover when moving your leg inward, such as when you are sitting and bring your knees together. The muscle originates in the pubic bone and inserts on the top of the femur. Because sitting for long periods of time...
Swimming can be a physically taxing sport that takes the use of all your major muscle groups. By stretching in various ways before training or competing, you help to ready your muscles and ligaments for the motions of the sport. Stretching can...
Flexibility is the goal of most exercises and stretches. However, stretching ligaments is not like working out your muscles. You will want to stretch your ligaments to some extent, but you are not going to want to overdo it. Stretching your...
Warming up and stretching the soleus is highly important for activities that require a lot of pressing down, or plantarflexing, of the feet. These activities include sports such as basketball or soccer but also include less vigorous activities...
The two oblique muscles span the sides of your abdomen, with the external oblique attaching to the outside of your lower eight ribs and the internal oblique to your lower four ribs on one end, and both to various structures in your pelvic area on...
Your ribcage consists of intercostal muscles between the ribs that work with the diaphragm and other deep abdominal muscles and tissues to expand and contract the ribcage when you breathe. Muscles and tissues above and near the ribcage move your...
The skin is the largest organ in the human body. It is living and breathing tissue that helps keep the muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, cartilage and internal fluids protected. Stretch marks are an imperfection that can appear on the skin. The...
Stretching your toes along with other parts of your feet can alleviate and avoid symptoms of some foot and ankle problems, such as plantar fasciitis, which is the inflammation of the tendons and connective tissues in the bottom of your feet. This...
Your shin, which is the common name of the anterior part of your lower leg, works with other muscles in your calf and foot to move your ankle in different directions, via flexion, extension and rotation. Stretching your shin can improve ankle and...
The rhomboids are two muscles -- the rhomboid major and rhomboid minor -- that span the area between the scapula bones within your upper back and your spine. Both muscles serve the same function: retracting, or pulling back, the scapula bones and...
Up to 90 percent of people in the United States will experience back pain at least once in their lives, warns University of Cincinnati's NetWellness. Proper stretching can help strengthen your back and keep the muscles supple, thus reducing your...
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