People with infirmity and are relying on their disability equipment such as wheelchairs for their mobility can also enjoy the benefits of regular stretching. It is of paramount importance that they understand exactly what it can do to their bodies. Otherwise, they will not have any motivation or reason to engage themselves in such a kind of warm-up activity.
Regardless if you are doing it for the alleviation of your muscle pains and cramps, or you are just wanting to ensure that you remain physically-abled for years to come — stretching is paramount to keeping your body in tip-top shape for longer.
Avoiding muscle pain
Doing some stretching or the so-called limbering acts, ahead of doing any kind of physical exercise, or just by pushing your manual wheelchair all by yourself — you are doing yourself a big favor. You are helping your own body to veer away from the outset of potential muscle tears or strains, usually brought about by strenuous workout.
It is crucial to make stretching an integral part of your exercise routine. Doing it prior to engaging in any form of exercise will prepare your body for whatever strenuous motions or movement you are about to make. Stretching is most helpful in preventing muscle injuries. Pushing your own wheelchair is one way you can exercise your body.
Protecting joints
In much the same way that stretching protects your muscles from strains, it can also do the same to your joints. Slow and calculated stretching movements will help ensure that your body is all warmed up and ready just before you start embarking in your daily routine or schedule. If you are a wheelchair user, this will usually involve pushing your own wheelchair.
You must ensure that your body stretching movements will last for at least a minimum of 5-10 minutes. Perform whatever limbering routines your attending physician may have suggested you do before you start your day. Doing so will help an awful lot in ensuring that your joints remain protected.
Improve Your Physical Abilities
Stretching per se is not just an act of limbering your body for whatever rough day you might have for the day. It is also a form of physical exercise that can empower your body and elevate your physical abilities. Moreover, stretching movements will also make your body become even more responsive when the time comes that you need it to. Let us cite a good example of this one first. Say for instance that you want to push yourself up a hill, you will realize that you will not feel the rigors of fatigue if you will prepare your body first for it. The perfect way to prepare your body for such is by doing stretching first.
Improve Your Blood Circulation
Recent studies show that stretching movements of the body can help improve the performance and efficiency of the body’s circulatory system. This signifies that blood flow in your vein will experience a little boost. Therefore, stretching is recommended not just because it is good for your joints and muscles, but your core systems are benefiting from it, too.
Helps in Stress Alleviation
If you want to take things a notch higher, you might want to combine a little bit of yoga to your stretching movements even while you are comfortably seated on your wheelchair. Disability equipment of this type should not hamper your movement or should it get in the way of your stretching routine.
Naturally, your body’s ability when it comes to the practice of yoga will completely depend upon your body’s level flexibility and of course, your own physical limits. But much like everything else, you can make things adaptable so they will be suitable for your personal requirements.