Teach Teens to Stretch

Stretching to stay flexible is vital—particularly when your child reaches puberty and goes through a growth spurt.

For a child or teen who is active in sports, failing to stretch can cause problems. Too little stretching can make your child more prone to muscle tears or strains and tendonitis, an overuse injury of the muscle tendon. Poor flexibility may also inhibit sports performance.

Teaching your children stretching techniques early can get them in the habit of stretching so that they'll be doing it when they need it.

Experts recommend that children begin stretching when they first join organized sports. By starting young, children are more likely to continue with that healthy practice as adults.

Tips for adolescents

• Before starting into a game or sport, warm up the muscles you will use with five to 10 minutes of a light version of the type of exercise. For example, to warm up for basketball, do some relaxed shooting; for jogging, walk. A warm-up will increase blood flow to the muscles and tendons, which makes them less likely to be injured.

• After exercise, cool down for 10 minutes by decreasing the intensity of the activity. Cooling down helps the muscles eliminate waste products and decreases soreness. Gently stretch the muscles used in the activity to help relax them.

• Stretch at least three times a week, but do the stretching after you have warmed up or after a workout, when muscles are loose and relaxed. Stretching before warming up does not reduce the risk for injury during a sport, and fitness experts such as the American College of Sports Medicine no longer recommend it.

• When stretching, hold each stretch (no bouncing or jerking) for 20 seconds. Don’t stretch to the point of pain.

• Repeat your stretches three times for each muscle group.

• Learn good stretching techniques, and relearn them often.

Three good stretches

To loosen key lower-body muscles:

• Quads. Stand with knees together. Gently, pull a leg up behind you with the hand on the same side of your body; pull your heel toward your buttocks. Brace yourself with your other hand.

• Hamstrings. Sit and extend your left leg. Put your right foot against your inner left thigh. Gently bend forward from the hips, keeping your back straight. Switch legs and repeat.

• Calves. With knees straight, stand with a heel hanging over a step. Grasp a railing, push heel down. Repeat with knee bent to work both calf muscles.