Most people have woken up at some point with a stiff neck, or perhaps they have had a tight back from sitting for a long time in front of the computer or after having done a hard physical training.
In this sense, it is important to relieve muscle tension by stretching the muscles involved for a few minutes a day, in order to loosen these areas. But to make stretching effective you need to warm up the muscles first, because stretching a cold muscle is ineffective and could cause injury.
The key to a good stretch is the time of dedication, and to obtain the maximum performance in each exercise it is recommended to stretch the muscle for at least 30 seconds and repeat 2 or 3 times.
Discover 4 exercises aimed at the areas of your body that are most commonly tense.
4 stretches to relax tight muscles
1. Trapezoid
One of the largest muscles in the neck is the trapezius, and stretching it helps stabilize the shoulder blades and extend the neck. Typically, people with desk jobs tend to have this tight muscle.
How to stretch it?
- Sit in a chair with good posture.
- Look straight ahead and rest one arm down to the side.
- With the other arm, place your hand on top of the head and gently bring the head to the side opposite the relaxed arm.
- Stretch until you feel a slight tension in your neck and hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Later, repeat with the other side.
2. Pectorals
Another muscle group that tends to present tension are the pectorals, or what is the same, the chest muscles. When these muscles are tight, they can round the shoulders and contribute to poor posture.
The idea to stretch your pecs is to do a stretch that allows you to open your chest.
How to do it?
- Stand in front of a door with your arms extended and with your elbows bent and take a small step forward. You should feel a stretch in the front of your chest.
- Hold the position for 30 seconds.
3. Paraspinal muscles
After sitting all day, you may feel the need to get up and stretch your back muscles. This is due to a large group of muscles called paraspinals , which are located throughout the entire back.
These muscles help stabilize the back during the day, being common to get them tense and tired. Therefore, this stretch is very relaxing for these back muscles.
How to do it?
- Kneel on the floor or on a yoga mat and slowly lean forward so that your hands and arms are extended on the floor in front of you.
- Sink your glutes toward your feet and hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
- Do 2 or 3 repetitions.
4. Piriformis muscle
Another muscle that is also commonly tense is the piriformis , which is located below the buttocks. Tension is usually felt with pain along the buttocks and possibly also in the hips.
How to stretch it?
- Lie on your back with both knees bent.
- Cross one leg over the other so that the foot rests near your opposite knee.
- Use your hands to bring your leg forward and toward the opposite shoulder, and you should feel a stretch in your gluteal area.
- Repeat the stretch with the opposite leg.
How to stretch effectively?
- Remember that stretching should be relaxing.
- Don’t forget to hold the stretch with slight tension for at least 30 seconds, because stretching below 20 seconds will not allow your muscle to fully elongate or provide great relief to tension points.
- Do not stretch for more than 30 seconds in a row, as it can cause injury.
- Make sure to breathe properly throughout the stretching process.
Reference
- Sawczin, K. How to Relieve Tension in Your Neck, Hips, Back and More. For Livestrong [Revised April 2017]
