Young athletes tend to focus on the more eye-catching aspects of their sports. However, the truth is that staying in the glorious game means sticking to less-than-glamorous routines. While the importance of some routines is…well…flexible, one in particular is foundational: stretching.
It’s not just for gymnasts. Stretching can be an essential aspect of any physical activity, especially in youth sports. To state the obvious, the elongation of muscles and tendons helps to increase flexibility, prevent injuries, and improve overall performance. Because stretching is often overlooked by many young athletes, they can suffer serious injuries that may affect their future sports career. While your athletes may not jump for joy at this daily monotonous, sometimes painful task, it’s important to communicate the main benefits of a stretching routine so that they can stay in the gym, on the field, or in the pool as long as their career allows.
Preventing injuries by improving flexibility
One of the most significant benefits of stretching in youth sports is its ability to prevent injuries. As young athletes engage in intense physical activities, the muscles and tendons in their body become tight, and this can lead to strains, sprains, and even other more serious injuries. By stretching before and after physical activities, athletes can help to loosen up their muscles, reduce stiffness, and improve joint range of motion. While it’s never fun to motivate young adults with worst case scenarios, the lasting consequences of lacking flexibility can be a big incentive to kick-starting a routine.
Whether they’re swimming, running, or flipping, the joints’ ability to move through a full range of motion is important for optimal performance in sports, especially when it comes to sudden movements. When athletes are flexible, they can move more efficiently, perform complex movements with ease, and reduce their overall risk of injury. Consider the use of dynamic stretches too, which involve active movements that warm up your athletes’ muscles for exercise. Whether it’s active or static, stretching is still the best way to improve flexibility, and therefore should be an integral part of any young athlete’s training routine.
Enhancing performance and recovery
When it comes to getting through to the performance-focused minds of young athletes, make sure to emphasize that stretching can notably enhance their athletic performance. It can even improve their blood circulation, which helps to supply the muscles with the nutrients and oxygen needed for optimal performance. This increased blood flow can also help young athletes to recover from physical activities faster, reducing muscle soreness and speeding up the recovery process between workouts or performances.
As such, stretching should be an integral part of any young athlete’s training routine, and the efforts to incorporate it into the daily lives of young athletes is well worth it. Parents, coaches, and young adults should all prioritize the practice, ensuring that it is done correctly and consistently. With proper stretching, young athletes can stay healthy, feel better, recover faster, improve their performance, and achieve their goals in whatever sport they choose.
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Sources:
American Academy of Pediatrics. “Preventing Sports Injuries in Youth: A Guide for Parents.” Pediatrics. 2019;144(6):e20190245.
National Athletic Trainers’ Association. “Position Statement: Youth Sport Specialization.” Journal of Athletic Training. 2016;51(1):2-13.
American College of Sports Medicine. “ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 10th Ed.” Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2017.
