Your knees are throbbing. Your back aches. You’ve got unexplained hip pain. Sound familiar? Getting shorts and wearing braces are simply bandage treatments. Ignoring pain, only makes it worse. Pain is your body’s way of telling you (loudly, sometimes) that something, somewhere is wrong.

How do you fix it? You’ve been to your doctor, your chiropractor, your massage therapist and still the pain lingers. Whether you are an athlete, a fitness enthusiast or a novice exerciser, corrective exercises and stretching are integral parts of any fitness routine. Proper stretching before and after an activity can not only alleviate pain, but can also eliminate chronic aches.

Before working out, engage in gentle, dynamic stretches such as shoulder rolls, front-to-back back leg swings and side leg swings. Doing so will help your muscles begin to warm up, allowing you to engage in a more strenuous exercise routine.

After working out, commit to 10-15 minutes of static stretching, holding each stretch for a minimum of thirty seconds. This will help your muscles cool down; you’ll become more flexible; and you’ll avoid unnecessary joint pain. By taking advantage of stretch classes, personal trainers; and physical therapy, you can fix joint pain; continue to work out; and reach your fitness goals.

For more information on which stretch classes are available at Innovative Health & Fitness and if personal training would be something beneficial for you, contact the training department at (414) 529-9900, ext. 730.