Stretching after exercise?

Most people remember to warm up before exercise or physical activity, but did you know that stretching after exercise is even more important.

Exercise is "controlled trauma". We microscopically tear down muscle with exercise causing it to repair itself stronger. Damaged muscle becomes inflamed and begins to form scar tissue. After exercise, while the muscles are still warm, is the best time to stretch the muscles and joints returning normal range of motion. This stretching frees up forming scar tissue from exercise trauma, keeps the joints and muscles fully flexible, helps bring in new blood to feed and clean the tissues.

The next time you work out, don't just jump in your car right after dropping your last weight. Give post exercise stretching a try. Wait until your heart rate and respiration have returned to normal, then go through some slow passive stretches (yoga-like). If done routinely, you will be less susceptible to injury and experience less soreness later. To minimize soreness even more, make sure to drink plenty of water to help wash out cellular waste products formed during exercise that lead to muscle pain the next day.