12 Flexibility Exercises and Stretches You Can Do at Any Age, According to Experts

glamour.com:

. Or lounging on your couch. Or withering away on a bus, train, or plane. (Hey, we’ve been there.) Flexibility exercises are barely a priority for most—but seeing as American adults spend at least (outside of sleep!) in a sedentary state, reclaiming our right to move and learning how to become more flexible is especially vital.“Our muscles move our joints, so if they are stuck in a state of contraction or weakness over a period of time, those joints will become more stiff, painful, and degenerate,” says , a chiropractor and founder of Cruz Chiropractic Wellness in New York City.

Unsurprisingly, this can have a negative effect on our overall health.Adding stretches for flexibility to your regimen is also important when it comes to optimizing your fitness routine, whether that happens at the gym, through , or via . “If you're going hard in the gym and not stretching and notice things feeling tight or aggravated regarding your joints, try adding in a little stretching to see if it helps alleviate some of this discomfort,” says Jake Boly, a strength coach and founder of . “A lot of this is contextual and individual, so don't be afraid to play with different stretching styles and protocols to see what helps you feel your best.” If numbness, tingling, or pain arises during this warm-up, you’ve likely done too much.

So as always, consult a professional about how to get flexible first because the best regimen for you may not be recommended for someone else and could lead to a risk of injury.