Whatever you are, whether an elite athlete or someone who simply detests physical exercise, we can all benefit from improving the level of flexibility of our skeletal muscles.

Flexibility is a fundamental aspect of good health. Improving our flexibility through stretching exercises allows us to maintain good posture, prevent injuries, and improve circulation.
Flexibility and Posture
Over time, muscles, ligaments and tendons can permanently shorten in length from restricting their use during our daily activities. Because we don’t allow our muscles to lengthen during repetitive activities such as when we use the computer or watch tv, they shorten. This takes its toll on our posture, since our muscles affect our bones, which in turn causes the whole body to change form. Shoulders round, the spine curves, and even the legs can be affected.

Improving your flexibility can do wonders for your posture. Proper stretching, focusing on the shoulders and back, can slowly lengthen the muscles out again and restore their ability.

Preventing Injuries
As mentioned, muscles, ligaments and tendons shorten over time when they aren’t stretched beyond their “comfort zone” on a regular basis. This restricts our ability to move (range of motion) and prevents us from assuming positions that are too challenging for our body. This may not sound so bad, since most of us are physically capable of avoiding such positions. However, sometimes, it is unavoidable – and that’s when flexibility can help prevent injury, since you have a larger range of movement before injury occurs. For example, you may trip on something and lunge forward, with one foot far ahead than the other to regain stability. If you’re flexible, injury may not result from the distance between your feet. But if you aren’t, a pulled muscle could result.

Preventing injuries is the main reason why you do gentle stretching exercises prior to working out or playing sports as well.

Improving Circulation
Most of us stretch when we first roll out of bed or have spent a long time on the computer – times when feel numb. It’s absolutely normal, considering that stretching improves circulation by increasing the blood flow to the muscles. It can also help the body process waste products.