After the effort, intense activity comes the time of the slow theme and the low lights. These are the last 10 minutes of the gymnastics class in which the stealthy flight of those who choose to go home without stretching takes place. Although for many people stretching is not a priority in their physical activity routines, including it has several benefits, among which stand out the improvement of the range of movement of the joints, sports performance and the reduction of the risk of injuries. But to be effective, it must be well done.

Is that doing the exercises in the wrong way can cause more harm than benefits. Therefore, specialists from the Mayo Clinic (United States) developed a series of tips to make stretching in Gorma effective and safe.

• Do not stretch during the warm-up. You can hurt yourself if you stretch your muscles cold. It is advisable to do a light activity beforehand (such as walking, running or cycling at low intensity) for 5 to 10 minutes. It is even preferable that the stretch you practice after the main activity, when the muscles are hot.

• Consider avoiding stretching before intense activity, such as sprinting. Some research suggests that stretching before such an event could harm performance. Studies also showed that performing stretching exercises immediately before an event weakens the hamstring muscles.

• Try to perform symmetric activities. Instead of striving to have the flexibility of a professional athlete or dancer, focus on having the same flexibility on both sides of the body (especially if you have a history of injury). Uneven flexibility on one side of the body could be a risk factor for injury.

• Concentrate on the main muscle groups such as the calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck and shoulders. It will also stretch the muscles and joints that you use often.

• Do not jump. If you jump while you stretch, you can injure a muscle and contribute to muscle rigidity.

• I kept your stretch. Breathe normally and hold each stretch for about 30 seconds. In problem areas, you may have to stay in the same position for one minute.

• It does not have to hurt. When you stretch, it is normal to feel tension, not pain. If it hurts, it means that you stretched too much. Go back to the point where you did not feel pain and stay.

• Do specific stretching exercises for the sport you practice. Some studies suggest that it is useful to do stretching exercises with the muscles you use most in your sport or activity. (In football, for example, hamstrings are more vulnerable to stress and that's why it's good to concentrate on them.) -Try with "dynamic warm-up," which involves replacing static exercises with movements similar to those of the sport you practice. But at a low level and gradually increase the speed and intensity as you go into heat.

• Be constant. The maximum benefit is achieved by doing the exercises regularly, at least two or three times a week.

• Incorporate movement to your stretching exercises. Gentle movements, such as Tai Chi or yoga, can help you be more flexible in certain movements. These types of exercise can also help reduce falls in older adults.

• Be cautious if you have a chronic illness or injury, you may need to adjust the stretching techniques. For example, if you already have a stressed muscle, stretching it can damage it more. Stretching does not mean you cannot hurt yourself. Your doctor or your physiotherapist can clear your doubts related to these exercises.