You agreed to play tennis this Saturday morning with your two closest friends. You’re a little nervous because it’s been a while since you lasted played and they’re regulars at the courts, so you decide to arrive a little early to warm up.
Besides shaking the dust and rust off your racket, taking the time to warm up is a fantastic idea for multiple reasons!
Why warm up before exercise?
While our muscles have the great ability to respond to changes in length and tension, they can get cold—both figuratively and literally speaking—if we’ve been sedentary, slow moving, or in a chilly environment whether for hours, days, weeks, or months.
Strains, sprains, and painfully sore muscles can be unfortunate causes of unprepared physical activity, especially for those with bone and joint conditions such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.