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The 5 minute morning stretch I rolled my eyes at for 6 months
My physical therapist told me to do a simple 5 minute hip flexor stretch every morning. I thought it was too basic to matter. After tweaking my back picking up a laundry basket last week, I finally tried it. Three days in and my lower back tightness is noticeably better. Has anyone else had a habit they dismissed as too simple turn out to be the thing that actually worked?
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drew551mo ago
The 5 minute thing works because it's about frequency, not duration. Holding a stretch for 30 seconds is plenty if you do it every day, and 5 minutes of anything makes it easy to actually stick with. Your muscles don't need a marathon, they just need a consistent nudge to remind them to loosen up.
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lopez.quinn1mo ago
Wait, did the PT explain why only 5 minutes is enough? I always thought you had to hold stretches for way longer to see any real difference. Just curious if there is some science behind it or if it's really that simple.
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