As both a sports orthopedic surgeon and a primary care sports medicine physician, IMUA Orthopedics, Sports & Health is dedicated to keeping their clients moving. Located in the heart of Honolulu, IMUA Orthopedics, Sports & Health provides all of Oahu with expert care in a friendly, supportive environment. Their orthopedic doctors make it their mission to keep their patients up and active, and educating their patients on proper stretching techniques is a vital part of that. They offer these tips to help you get the most out of your stretch:

• Make It A Habit: Like with running, surfing, or any other kind of physical activity, the more you do you it, the better you’ll get. Take 10 minutes out of every day to stretch and improve your balance, strength, and flexibility.
• Keep It Balanced: Make sure that you give all of your muscles equal attention. Focusing on opposing muscle groups is a good way to ensure you don’t favor one area over another. For example, if you stretch your inner thigh, make sure you also hit the outer thigh muscles.
• Know Your Limits: Stretching should never be a painful experience. If you’re experiencing any kind of pain during a stretch, that’s your body telling you it's had enough. Only hold a stretch until you feel mild discomfort.
• Breathe Normally: Depending on the difficulty of your stretch, it can be easy to forget about your breathing. Make a conscious effort to keep your breathing steady. Holding your breath or doing some kind of special breathing exercise won’t improve your stretch.
• Battle Boredom: Doing the same stretches over and over again can get boring, so mix up your routine by learning new stretches on a regular basis. You could take a yoga class or ask the orthopedic doctors at IMUA Orthopedics, Sports & Health for their advice.

Whether you’re running marathons or jogging around the block, stretching is a vital part of everyone’s physical health. For more tips on how to stay active, visit IMUA Orthopedics, Sports & Health’s website or call at (808) 521-8170 to schedule an appointment with their orthopedic doctors.