Highlands Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Web site at: www.highlands-ortho.com/
E-mail: info@highlands-ortho.com    Phone: 540-863-4444
Warm-Up and Cool Down        No matter how fit or how careful you are, everyone is at some risk of injury when he or she participates in physical activities. In fact, injury is often responsible for turning even the most avid exerciser into an exercise dropout. Warming up and cooling down reduces your chance of injury by helping your body prepare for and recover from exercise. Though essential to every exercise program, the warm-up and cool down phases are often neglected. Follow these steps for a safe exercise session:
Warm-up
       Begin with five minutes of slow, large movements such as arm swinging and slow walking to warm muscles and raise your heart rate (this is especially important if you're doing an early morning workout).
       Continue to warm the muscles and joints by doing some slow static stretching for about five minutes. Stretch until you feel some tension then hold for 15-30 seconds. Change positions slowly and never bounce? Stretch the neck, shoulders, arms, trunk, hips, quadriceps, hamstrings and calves. Be sure to include some exercise-specific stretches.
       Begin the exercise or "stimulus" phase of your exercise session and gradually build up intensity.
Cool-Down
       Gradually decrease your exercise intensity during cool-down. Walk around for a few minutes until your breathing and heart rate return to normal. Repeat the same stretches you did in the warm-up phase. Cool down stretches also help reduce muscle soreness and increase flexibility.

Stretching Play it Safe!        It's imperative for sports safety to get your muscles and ligaments ready before putting them to work
Stretches The Hamstring Stretch        This stretch is done standing with one leg fully extended and resting on a bench or a rock or anything that is slightly below waist level. Lean forward towards your leg until you feel the stretch of your hamstring muscle.
The Biceps and Chest Stretch        Do this stretch standing up with your knees slightly bent. Extend your arms straight back and interlace your fingers behind your lower back. Keep your elbows straight. Now squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift your arms. Don't lean forward while doing this.
The Triceps Stretch        Raise your arm and bend it down so that your hand rests between your shoulder blades behind your head at the top of your back. With your other hand grab your bent elbow and gently pull on it.
The Achilles Tendon Stretch        Do this stretch seated with one leg fully extended and the other bent with your foot flat on the floor. Keeping your heel on the floor raise your toes toward your knee. You can use your hands to grab your toes and assist the stretch.
The Inner Thigh Stretch        Do this stretch sitting on the floor with your knees bent and the soles of your feet together. With your hands grab your ankles and lower your knees to the floor. You can use your elbows to press down on your knees to assist the stretch.
The Lower Back Stretch        Sit on the floor with your right leg extended and your left leg bent and crossed over your extended leg. This foot should be flat on the floor. Twist your body and head and place your right elbow on the outside of your left knee. Using your arm that is placed on your leg, pull in the opposite direction that you are facing.
The Quadriceps Stretch        Stand next to a wall or anywhere that you can use a hand to hold on to something for balance. Bend your leg up and grab your foot with one hand. Using your hand pull your leg up and back.
The Raised Leg Hamstring Stretch        Do this stretch lying on your back. Extend one leg out and raise the other in the air. Using both hands grab your ankle and bring your leg as close to your nose as possible. Your head and hips may rise off the floor. And the knee may be bent slightly for those who are less flexible.
The Calf Stretch        Standing and facing a wall place both hands flat against it. Place one foot about 2 feet behind the other, both feet should be flat on the ground. Remember to keep your back straight and slowly lean forward towards the wall.
For more information:    Highlands Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine   540-863-4444 E-mail: info@highlands-ortho.com    Web site at: www.highlands-ortho.com/