By Elena Voropay

Can you touch your knees with your nose? If you answered no, chances are you are experiencing occasional low back pain, stiffness in your neck and shoulders, poor blood circulation and headaches. Considering the fact that you probably spend most of your time sitting in a class, in front of a computer and TV, driving, or reading textbooks, your muscles and joints hold a lot of tension by the end of the day. The next morning you may even wake up feeling fatigue and soreness in the entire body.

Headaches and Back Pain

Sitting is often the greatest cause of back problems afflicting 80 percent of the population, according to the American Council on Exercise. No surprise here - most of us spend all day in a seated position. Notice that when you sit your quadricep muscles located in the front of the thigh are elongated or stretched, while the opposing hamstring muscles in the back are shortened or flexed. If opposing muscle groups are out of balance, with one group being more flexible than the other, you are prone to injury, pain, spasms, followed by poor posture and body mechanics. Tight hamstrings and other muscles surrounding your "sit bones" cause rotation of the pelvic bowl towards a flat back position which can play havoc on anyone's posture. Imbalance and stiffness of the muscles in the hip joint project the tension upwards through the spine to the neck and shoulders pulling on the scull. The result? Familiar to all of us headache, tight neck and shoulders, followed by low back pain, and a long list of other complications that might follow.

Exercise to The Fullest Potential

Stretching on a regular basis will not only help you attain and maintain the flexibility needed for everyday activities, but will also ease the movement, improve responsiveness, posture and muscle balance. If you live an active lifestyle, you are putting physical stress on the body generating stiffness in your muscles and joints. Immediately stretching a muscle after intense exercise also promotes muscular growth and reduces post-workout soreness. Stretching hastens the delivery of oxygen and other nutrients, while speeding up the removal of lactic acid and other waste products, releasing tension and loosening your body.

Several researchers concluded that tight, rigid muscles and joints require more energy to accomplish activities. A muscle in a constant state of contraction has a diminished range of motion and coordination setting the stage for injury to happen. And if you are looking to build additional muscle tissue, you should know that under-stretched muscles and joints are not able to contract and extend to their fullest potential. Forgetting to stretch after weight training workout, you are jeopardizing your gains since you are not able to properly perform the exercises through the full range of motion.

Stretching increases blood flow and circulation to the muscles and lubricates joint structures. Extended periods of inactivity bring about chemical changes that can limit flexibility. Underused connective tissue loses elasticity as it becomes stiff and dense. It's theorized that stretching stimulates the production of lubricants between tissue fibers and promotes hydration and suppleness of all connective tissue. The resulting increased range of motion, especially when coupled with more strength and muscle mass, allows you to bend and move more freely before sustaining serious injury.This provides a better supply of nutrients and oxygen keeping tissues healthy while transporting wastes and toxins out of the body. As an added bonus, the soreness you experience in your muscles after performing physical activity is minimized thus improving physical efficiency and performance.

Stretching Brain Function

The benefits of stretching don't end there. Enhancing flexibility aids your brain to function with utmost efficiency. Proper supply of oxygenated blood and nutrients wakes up and energizes your entire system thus improving brain activity, mood and alertness. Flexibility training promotes relaxation of both mind and body. After a few minutes of stretching you feel relaxed and yet refreshed, and may even experience an enhanced sense of well-being and personal gratification.

Let's Do It

Now that you are convinced stretching is good for you, where do you find time? Performing a full stretching routine might be time consuming, but there are no excuses to avoid stretching just a few seconds between everyday activities. Small one-minute investments should more than recoup themselves with dividends of greater health and well-being.

* Roll your head from side to side, look behind your back, then gently pull each ear to corresponding shoulder.

* Roll your shoulders forward five times, then back five times.

* Lift both shoulders toward your ears, hold for 5 seconds, lower back down

* Lock the fingers of your hands in a basket, lift up in front of you to shoulder level and invert the grip (the palms are facing out). After 5 seconds, lift all the way up (palms are facing the ceiling), hold.

* Now take the hands behind your head, open up the elbows, keep the chest out.

* Unlock the palms and take your hands behind lower back, keep shoulders back and down.

* Rotate both feet at the ankles and both hands at the wrists.

* Standing on a right leg slightly bent at the knee, put your left leg on a heel in front of you and lean forward. Try to maintain a straight back with a natural lumbar curve (stick your hips out). Repeat on the other side.