Stretching is your friend: 5 minutes when you wake up, 5 minutes before bed. 5 minutes before an exercise, 5 minutes after. Every minute counts when your flexibility and range of motion are on the line. At Scorca Chiropractic Center, we can help you realize and implement a stretching routine to make everyday motions easier. Here are some tips to keep in mind when stretching: 

• Stretching should never equal pain: there is a difference between feeling the stretch, and feeling a pain. If you feel pain, stop immediately. 
• Hold stretches for as long as it takes for muscles to become loose: you may have to start small (3-5 seconds) and scale up (20-30) seconds in order to really make the stretch count. Return to a neutral position then repeat the stretch 3-5 times. 
• Move slow: Don’t dive right into a stretch, especially a new one. This can actually cause damage to the muscles which is completely counterproductive. Ease your body into each new stretch until you have a familiarity and a confidence with the movement. 
• Do it everyday: if you have found a stretching routine that works, make it a habit. Doing your stretches everyday is the only way to break from a sedentary lifestyle and start on the path toward more flexibility. 

If a particular part of your body needs stretching everyday to feel functional, there may be an underlying problem that we can help you with. Chiropractic adjustment is effective at targeting specific joints and restoring alignment to the body. We utilize modalities that release tension from tight muscles and improve range of motion immediately, making your stretch count more. 

Dr. Francis Scorca, D.C.