6. MYTHS & FAQs
“I must always warm up before I stretch, right?
WRONG!
Stretching IS warming up. As you work your muscles, you are pumping blood to them and firing them, one at a time. As each set of stretches progresses, you gradually increase your range of motion with gentle assistance at the end ...
Stretching IS warming up. As you work your muscles, you are pumping blood to them and firing them, one at a time. As each set of stretches progresses, you gradually increase your range of motion with gentle assistance at the end ...
“If I am constantly getting injured on one side, that must mean that I have a leg-length discrepancy, right?”
WRONG!
Significant leg-length discrepancies are not that common. Frequently, an athlete who is lying flat on a table, will be evaluated by an observer standing at the foot of the table. The observer takes the athlete’s feet in his or her ...
Significant leg-length discrepancies are not that common. Frequently, an athlete who is lying flat on a table, will be evaluated by an observer standing at the foot of the table. The observer takes the athlete’s feet in his or her ...
“Muscles recover more quickly if I sit in a tub of hot water, right?”
WRONG!
Although we will not deny that it feels wonderful to sink into a hot bath after a hard workout, especially on a cold winter’s day, we have to tell you that “feeling wonderful” is about the limit of the benefit. External heat is co...
Although we will not deny that it feels wonderful to sink into a hot bath after a hard workout, especially on a cold winter’s day, we have to tell you that “feeling wonderful” is about the limit of the benefit. External heat is co...
“Inflammation of the muscle can be healed with anti-inflammatory medications, right?”
WRONG!
“Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen do have a purpose. Taken properly, they can reduce pain and inflammation in joints and soft tissues, such as muscles and ligaments, by blocking the produ...
“Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen do have a purpose. Taken properly, they can reduce pain and inflammation in joints and soft tissues, such as muscles and ligaments, by blocking the produ...
“The older I get, the less flexible I’ll become, right?
WRONG!
As you grow older, there is no need to grunt and groan when you get out of a chair, or shuffle when you walk or turn your whole body to look at what’s beside you. Experts acknowledge a biological decrease in natural flexibility a...
“Drink when I’m thirsty, right?”
WRONG!
If you wait until you feel thirsty and then start to drink, it’s too late. Thirst is a symptom of dehydration, and dehydration decreases blood volume. With less blood getting to the skin, the systems that control heat dissipation ...
If you wait until you feel thirsty and then start to drink, it’s too late. Thirst is a symptom of dehydration, and dehydration decreases blood volume. With less blood getting to the skin, the systems that control heat dissipation ...