STRETCHES
We all know that regular exercise at an early age is very important because it not only improves a child’s overall health, but also helps them develop healthy habits throughout life.
But do you know that stretching is just as good? Stretching is a necessary step that every child should do before and after exercise. By stretching, it can prevent little ones from injuring themselves during exercise, this is even more important if your child plays sports as sports can get a little intense at times. Therefore, as parents, it is important to constantly remind them to lie down.
As mentioned earlier, stretching is a mandatory step before and after intensive physical activity. There are many reasons why we strongly support the need to stretch. The most important reason and benefit of stretching is that it reduces the risk of injury. When kids exercise right away without warming up, they are more likely to pull a muscle and suffer an injury. Similarly, if they don’t cool down properly after training, their muscles would not be able to recover as quickly and this also increases the chances of injury.
Stretching is also a good way to prepare your body for exercise. This is because stretching increases blood flow to the muscles. This reduces tension in the muscles, which will lead to increased flexibility and increased range of motion. Also, stretching is not only good exercise, but regular stretching at a young age will help improve agility and maintain flexibility in your child even as they enter adulthood.
There are many stretches that your child can easily implement into their exercise routine. Simple stretching exercises can include a gentle split and holding that position for 30 seconds. Note that this stretch should be done slowly and carefully to prevent injury. Another stretch your child can do would be to stand up, then slowly bend down and touch their toes, keeping their legs straight. This can be difficult for some children at first as they may not be as flexible. For these children, what they can do is gently place their hands behind their legs and slowly bend over, holding for 30 seconds.
Stretching every day helps to increase flexibility and range of motion, this greatly helps your child in healthy development.
