When is stretching contraindicated

Suggestion: Whenever moving your head to loosen up your neck do so in a slow and controlled fashion. Hurdler's Stretch This exercise is performed sitting on the floor with both legs apart and one leg tucked behind and outward while the individual reaches forward to touch the toe of the extended leg. This exercise places a great deal of stress on the ligaments in the knee joint of the bent leg.

Suggestion: Perform this exercise on a raised bench or the side of a firm bed or couch. This will allow for the leg not being stretched to remain in a comfortable neutral position.

Also, when bending forward, bend from low in the back and not from the mid-back this will maximize the stretch on the hamstring. Full Squat The full squat, or the "duck walk" also places a tremendous amount of pressure on the knees. Not only is this exercise ineffective, the knee ligaments and cartilage are placed in an extremely vulnerable position.

Suggestion: Partial squats will give the stretch in the muscle required without putting an over-stress on the ligaments and cartilage.

Exercising safely means avoiding potentially dangerous exercises and choosing exercises that are appropriate for one's level of fitness. Ensuring proper technique is critical and an exercise routine should be started at an appropriately slow pace taking care not to increase the level of difficulty and intensity too rapidly. The importance of individualizing an exercise program cannot be overemphasized.

Some exercises are risky for individuals with back problems, and others with knee problems. Always examine an exercise routine to determine whether the risks of doing the exercises outweigh the expected benefits. Your family physician or local sports physiotherapist can be helpful in assisting you in this regard. Imagine that each of your fists is a vertebra and that you put a sponge in between the fists and push your fists toward each other.

The pressure that you exert on the disc the sponge is compression force which, when repeated, can lead to a cascade of events that results in intense pain. The following is my perception of the top ten contraindicated exercises and safe, effective modifications:. Donkey: On your hands and knees. Kick one leg out behind you while you throw your head up-both in a ballistic sudden or bouncing fashion. Modification: Keep head stationary facing the floor, reach right arm forward and left leg back at the same time, then switch sides.

Bent over row or flyes without support: Standing, bent over about 45 degrees, holding dumbbells or barbell and performing a rowing or flying motion with the arms. Modification: If there are no lower back issues and good core strength, then a modified supported version is a good way to work up to a unsupported bent over row or fly. For modified: use a bench for support.

To exercise your right arm, put your left hand and left knee on a bench. Your back should be flat and your hand should be at the end of the bench with your wrist as straight as possible. If there are concerns for low back issues or a weak core, then perform arm circles without weight and butterfly stretches. Windmills and cherry pickers: Standing, feet apart, touch left foot with right hand and then touch right foot with left hand.

Or, touch the ground between your feet several times, reaching back farther each time, before coming up. Premature stretching can cause reinjury and the deposition of more scar tissue prolonging the rehabilitation process. Talk to your surgeon if you are recovering from a vascular trauma or are on anticoagulants. Premature or excessive stretching can lead to further vascular injury and thromboembolism.

Consult your family doctor prior to stretcing an area that is infected to avoid tissue damage or spread of the infection. If stretching is excessively painful you may be suffering from an underlying medical condition.

See your family doctor or physical therapist. Be careful when starting a stretching program around an area of inflammation.

Inflammation can change the viscoelastic properties of connective tissues and can cause injury if not undertaken correctly. Aggressively stretching a joint with an effusion can damage capsular structures.