Stretches To Alleviate Muscular Pain and Discomfort

A few tips to keep in mind before you get started

* Aim to hold each stretch for at least 10 seconds and preferably 30 seconds or longer. The pain-relieving benefits will increase the longer you hold these stretches.

* Rather than rush through the moves, turn on chilled music and use this stretching time as a chance to relax

* Don’t forget to breathe! It may sound stupid, but focusing on using your breath can help you cope with any feelings of discomfort.

1. Child’s pose: Begin in a table-top position on your hands and knees, with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Extend your arms out in front of you, placing your palms flat on the floor. Slowly sit your hips back toward your heels, dropping your head and chest downward as your arms extend further and reach for the wall in front of you. If this stretch is too much, place a pillow under your belly to prop yourself up a bit and lessen the stretch of the low-back muscles. Hold this pose for 20 to 30 seconds or even longer.
2. Kneeling Hip Flexor: Great hip opener can alleviate pressure or pull on the lower back. Get into a kneeling position. Lunge forward with your knee on a padded mat. Position one foot forward. Straighten the hip of the rear leg by pushing your hips forward. Don’t hyperextend through the lower back. Make sure you are pushing forward through the glutes. Hold the stretch then repeat with the opposite side.
3. Spider-Man Stretch: This is an awesome multi-joint stretch. Start in a push-up position. Put your hands underneath your shoulders. Your feet should be hip-width apart. Bring one foot up to the outside of the right hand, then sink your hips down while keeping your chest up. Make sure the chin stays tucked. Hold for a 2-seconds. Then bring that foot back to the starting position. Switch and do the other side. Do 4-6 on each side.
4. BootStrappers: Great stretch for the hamstrings, hips and lower back. Stand just outside hip-width apart. Reach down and grab the toes of the shoes. Use that as leverage to pull yourself down to the bottom position. Then push the knees out with the elbows. Keep the head aligned with the body and keep your chest up. Hold this for two seconds. Stay there, lift hips up, then repeat without unlocking hands from toes. Do 6-10 reps.
5. GluteBridges: Lie face up on the floor, with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Keep your arms at your side with your palms down. Lift your hips off the ground until your knees, hips and shoulders form a straight line. Squeeze your butt like you have a quarter stuck between your butt cheeks and you’re trying to keep it there. Hold this bridged position while squeezing your butt. Hold it for 2-3 seconds and then release the contraction and bring your hips back down to start. Repeat 20-30 times.
6. Side Lying Clam Shell: Lie down on your side with your knees bent and spine in a neutral position. This can be done with a band or without a band.  Engage your lower abdominals to stabilize your spine and pelvis. Be sure your hip bones are stacked on top of each other (the tendency is for the top hip to rock backwards). Press your fingers into the back of the top (left) hip to monitor the contraction of your muscles. Keeping your heels touching, raise your left knee and rotate it back, creating an arc with your left knee. Do not allow your hips to roll back; keep them stacked! Lower your knee only to the point at which the muscles turn off – usually 1/4 to 1/2 inch for beginners. Continue rotating the knee up and down, keeping the contraction. Perform 5 to 15 repetitions or until fatigued, then switch sides.
7. Cat/Cow stretch: Begin in a table-top position on your hands and knees, with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Your spine should be parallel to the ground in this position. Then, round your back, stretching your mid-back between your shoulder blades—similar to how a cat stretches by rounding its back. Hold for five seconds, then relax and let your stomach fall downward as you gently arch your low back and hold here for another five seconds. Repeat these movements for 30 seconds or longer.
8. Supine Twist: Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms out to the side in a “T” position. Keep your shoulders on the ground as you gently roll both knees to one side. Stay here for 20 to 30 seconds, then return your knees to the centre and repeat on the other side. If the stretch is too much for you, place a pillow or stack of blankets under your knees when you twist to each side.
9. Knee-to-chest stretch: Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Bring your hands to rest either behind your knees or right below your kneecaps. Slowly bring both knees toward your chest, using your hands to gently pull your knees. Hold here for 20 to 30 seconds, and try rocking your hips side to side and up and down to help massage your low back, then return to starting position.
10. Pelvic Tilt: Begin by lying on a yoga mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Try to relax your low back, keeping it in a neutral position (which means you should feel a slight curve in your low back if you place the top of your hand under your back). Activate your core muscles and then flatten your low back against the floor by slightly tilting your pelvis upward. Repeat 12 to 15 times.
11. Supine Figure 4 stretch: Lie on your back on a yoga mat with both knees bent and feet planted on the floor. Lift your right leg, flex your right foot and cross your right ankle over your left thigh. If this is enough stay here, or draw your left knee in and hold behind your left thigh to increase the intensity. Hold for 10 to 15 breaths and then switch to the other side.
12. Reclining hand-to-big toe stretch: Lie on your back and lift your right leg up towards your face. Interlace your hands behind your thigh or calf, depending on how tight your hamstrings feel. Keep your opposite leg active and your opposite hip grounded. Your head and shoulders should stay on the ground. Hold for 10 breaths. Now, still keeping your opposite hip grounded, let your right leg lower out to the right. Only lower the right leg out to the side so far as you can without the opposite hip lifting up.
13. Forearm plank: From the top of a push-up position, drop your forearms onto the mat directly underneath your shoulders. You can interlace your hands or bring the forearms parallel to one another, depending on how your shoulders feel. Kick through the heels and engage your core. Hold for at least 30 seconds, working your way up to one minute.