MS, RD, LDN, CSSD, CBS
Rachel holds a Master’s in Nutrition Communication from Tufts University and is also a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. She works as a nutrition and wellness coach with focuses on infant and maternal nutrition, and mindful eating.
Stretching before and after any exercise is a must. Too often we focus on aerobic exercise and strengthening but forget the importance of stretching and flexibility to our overall health. Adequate stretching before and after physical activity will warm up the muscles, increase flexibility, help decrease muscle aches and joint stress, help you avoid injury, and promote overall wellness in your day-to-day life.
For example, runner’s stretch, pelvic tilts, lunges, squats, quad stretches, piriformis stretch and forward bends will prepare the lower body for exercise and are also great post-exercise cool-downs to increase flexibility. Elbow bends, side stretches, shoulder rolls, and neck rolls are excellent upper body stretches for pre- and post- workout. See the What to Do section for specific guidance and instructions.
Stretching during warm-ups and cool-downs will help you preserve musculo-skeletal function during the childbearing years and will support your lifetime health and fitness. But always listen to your body whenever you stretch!
If you notice that a particular muscle group is weak or prone to injury, check with your healthcare provider or a fitness expert for special instructions before engaging in exercise. If you have any muscle or joint issues such as knee problems, a groin pull, or sciatica, you should also check with your healthcare provider. You may need a referral to a physical therapist to learn how to modify your exercise regimen, including your pre- and post- workout stretching, or if you need a device to help support your joints such as a knee brace or a pelvic support belt.
Practice dynamic pre-exercise warm up stretching
Dynamic stretching, or repeating a stretch multiple times for a short period of time, helps to deepen the stretch when your muscles are tight. Dynamic stretching pre-workout is less likely to overextend your muscles and joints and cause injury.
Here are some generally safe and effective warm-up stretches for you to practice prior to any type of physical activity. Before engaging in the stretches, warm up your large muscle groups for a few minutes, such as by taking a 3-5 minute walk or going up and down stairs several times, as this will reduce the risks for injury:
Include a recovery period followed by deeper and longer stretching in your cool-down session as compared to your pre-exercise warm up
After more vigorous exercise, walk around until your heart rate comes back toward your baseline before taking some time to stretch. Post exercise is the perfect time to take advantage of your warmed-up muscles and increase your flexibility. Repeat the stretches you did during the warm up but this time hold the stretches for at least 30 seconds per each side. Again, listen to your body and don’t take a “one size fits all” approach. Everyone has a different level of flexibility to start with and pushing yourself into a deeper stretch before you’re ready can have detrimental effects.
Remember that hydration is another piece of the cool down routine. Be certain to drink plenty of fluids especially if you’re expecting or breastfeeding. A general recommendation is to drink at least 8 oz of water per 15 minutes of exercise. So if you exercised for 45 minutes, hydration would include drinking 24 oz of water (you can drink some of this during and some after your exercise).
Build up your prenatal exercise slowly over time, especially if you did not work out much prior to pregnancy
Pregnancy is not the time to start a brand new sport. Stick with exercise that is familiar to you. If you are a “non-exerciser” consider taking classes geared toward pregnancy such as prenatal yoga or prenatal Pilates and make sure the instructor is certified to teach pregnant women (and see Exercise for non-exercisers for more tips). Yoga positions involve stretching, strengthening and dynamic movement for a balanced workout, and prenatal yoga exercises are specifically modified to accommodate a pregnant belly.
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