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Static stretching should only be done AFTER exercise while the muscles are still warm. They should NEVER be painful. Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds and repeat 3 times.
Stand with one leg in front of the other, back leg straight, hands on a wall in front of you. Lunge onto front leg keeping back leg straight and heel on the floor. Push through your hands into your heel to feel the stretch in the back of your calf. Then do the same but with your back knee slightly bent and feel the stretch lower in your calf.
Quads stretch: Stand on one leg with support if required for balance and put the foot on a chair or surface behind you so that the knee is bent. Keep your knees together and hips forward, tucking your bum under and with your back straight to feel the stretch over the front of your thigh. Hip flexors stretch: Kneel into a lunge with your bottom tucked under and move your hips forwards so you feel a stretch in your upper thigh Hamstrings stretch: Lie on your back and bend your knee towards your chest so your thigh is vertical. Loop a towel or cord around the heel and hold with your hands as you straighten your knee towards the ceiling keeping your upper back and head on the floor. You should feel it in your leg. If you feel it in your back STOP immediately.
Glut stretch:
Version 1) Lie on your back with one knee straight and one knee bent. Put the ankle of the bent knee on the outside of the knee of the opposite leg. Pull the bent knee across your body, ensuring your back doesnt twist and stays flat. You should feel this on the outside of your hip.
Version 2) Lie on your back, holding onto your ankle and knee. Pull harder on the ankle so that your leg “turns outwards”. Pull with both hands up towards your chest, or to either shoulder, whilst always pulling harder on the ankle. You should feel this in your buttock.
Lower back/ glut/ quads stretch
Version 1) Kneel with your bottom on your heels and stretch your arms forwards onto the floor, reaching your arms away from your bottom and your bottom towards your heels. Breathe from your diaphragm.
Version 2) Hold a bar (or door handle) with both hands and with arms over head, whilst keeping your back straight bend from your hips. Push your bottom backwards to feel a stretch in low back. You can push towards each hip in turn to feel a stronger stretch to each side but never any pain.
Stand with one leg in front of the other, back leg straight, hands on a wall in front of you.
Lunge onto front leg keeping back leg straight and heel on the floor.
Push through your hands into your heel to feel the stretch in the back of your calf.
Then do the same but with your back knee slightly bent and feel the stretch lower in your calf.
Stand on one leg with support if required for balance and put the foot on a chair or surface behind you so that the knee is bent.
Keep your knees together and hips forward, tucking your bum under and with your back straight to feel the stretch over the front of your thigh.
Kneel into a lunge with your bottom tucked under and move your hips forwards so you feel a stretch in your upperthigh.
Lie on your back and bend your knee towards your chest so your thigh is vertical.
Loop a towel or cord around the heel and hold with your hands as you straighten your knee towards the ceiling keeping your upper back and head on the floor. You should feel it in your leg. If you feel it in your back STOPimmediately.
Lie on your back with one knee straight and one knee bent.
Put the ankle of the bent knee on the outside of the knee of the opposite leg.
Pull the bent knee across your body, ensuring your back doesnt twist and stays flat. You should feel this on the outside of your hip.
Lie on your back,holding onto your ankle and knee.
Pull harder on the ankle so that your leg “turns outwards”.
Pull with both hands up towards your chest, or to either shoulder, whilst always pulling harder on the ankle. You should feel this in your buttock.
Kneel with your bottom on your heels and stretch your arms forwards onto the floor, reaching your arms away from your bottom and your bottom towards your heels.
Breathe from your diaphragm.
Hold a bar (or door handle) with both hands and with arms over head, whilst keeping your back straight bend from your hips.
Push your bottom backwards to feel a stretch in low back.
You can push towards each hip in turn to feel a stronger stretch to each side but never any pain.
Please note that although the advice and exercises provided are designed to assist your recovery they are not a replacement for seeing a Physiotherapist or Osteopath. It is essential that you always make sure you see your Doctor, Osteopath or Chartered Physiotherapist beforehand to diagnose your injury and guide you through recovery.
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