Posted on: April 6th, 2016
Spring has sprung! And along with longer days, warm weather (when Oklahoma decides to cooperate!) and wildflowers, Spring also brings back outdoor sports. Keeping little athletes healthy is a full time job all its own.
Even if your child is not an athlete, keeping them limber and stretched out is good for their muscles as they run and play.
A whole body warm up of 5-10 minutes before a game or practice, along with stretching to warm the muscles is important. The warm up can consist of jogging, marching, jumping jacks, really anything that gets your child moving and warms up the whole body.
Stretching really becomes vital after physical activity. Stretching after a game or practice keeps muscles from being sore or tight later on. Here are 5 easy, kid-friendly stretches you can do with your child to prevent injury and soreness as they get more active this spring.
The stretches should be held 20-30 seconds and to the point of tension without pain. Repeat each stretch 2-3 times.
- Hamstrings — Keep the legs straight
- Quadriceps — Keep the knees close together
- Hip Flexors
- Deltoid/Shoulder
- Triceps
