Georgia Straight – Jennifer Van Evra
According to Dr. Stark, a podiatrist who specializes in sports medicine and biomechanics, almost everyone develops muscle imbalances in the lower body because the muscles that keep us walking, running, standing, and even sitting, shorten dramatically over time with usage and fatigue. Nearly everyone has a dominant side. The muscles on one side of the body tend to shorten more quickly than those on the other which can lead to some serious long-term problems. Without understanding the basic science people can’t begin to understand why stretching is crucial and why so many stretches do more damage than good. The science tells us how the muscles function – and you can’t change how you’re put together because it’s more convenient. Dr. Stark, a former professional athlete himself, isn’t advocating an exhaustive stretching regime. The lower body only requires five simple stretches to elongate the major muscle groups that do most of the work.