The health benefits of flexibility

As Kristen Rogers writes in CNN, one thing everyone can do is increase their flexibility — or how much you can stretch or elongate your muscles without causing any damage, said Dr. Ashley Cruz, owner and founder of Cruz Chiropractic Wellness in New York City.

A common reason for wanting to be more flexible is to prevent injury, which also requires building and maintaining muscle mass through strength training, Cruz said. Reducing your risk of getting hurt is especially important as you age.

Increasing flexibility — generally by stretching — happens by way of neuromuscular reeducation, the process of nerves in the brain and spinal cord sending messages to muscles to perform the movements, Cruz said.

The more you do those movements, she added, the more your nervous system can develop a clear pathway to knowing you can do them safely without repercussions.

These benefits are available to everyone and always work best with complementary strength training to ensure functionality.