[{"id":6961,"date":"2026-04-09T07:37:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T07:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/hr-worklife\/?p=6961"},"modified":"2026-04-07T19:39:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T19:39:19","slug":"shake-off-the-stiffness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/hr-worklife\/2026\/04\/09\/shake-off-the-stiffness\/","title":{"rendered":"Shake Off the Stiffness"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Don\u2019t underestimate the importance of stretching. It\u2019s not just for athletes or people who work out regularly. It preserves mobility, improves range of motion in the joints, and protects you from future injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stretching preserves mobility, improves range of motion in the joints, and protects you from future injury.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t underestimate the importance of stretching. It\u2019s not just for athletes, runners, and gymnasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, understand that it\u2019s not necessary to stretch every <\/em>muscle in the body. Focus on the core muscle groups that most impact your daily life, such as your lower body \u2014 calves, hamstrings, hip flexors, pelvis, quadriceps \u2014 because these muscles affect your mobility and balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondly, remember to properly execute each stretch. Before starting any new workout regimen, consult a trainer or physical therapist. Basic stretching practices<\/a> include: always warm up because you need to get blood flowing to the area to make the tissue more pliable; hold a stretch for at least 30 seconds; feel tension in a stretch, not pain; and don\u2019t ever \u201cbounce\u201d while you stretch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Click here<\/a> for a collection of simple movements to ease you into your stretching routine. Want some guidance? Try this 15-minute gentle full-body stretching routine<\/a> led by a physical therapist.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Don\u2019t underestimate the importance of stretching. It\u2019s not just for athletes or people who work out regularly. It preserves mobility, improves range of motion in the joints, and protects you from future injury. Stretching preserves mobility, improves range of motion in the joints, and protects you from future injury. Don\u2019t underestimate the importance of stretching. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":640,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6961","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/hr-worklife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6961","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/hr-worklife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/hr-worklife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/hr-worklife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/640"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/hr-worklife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6961"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/hr-worklife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6961\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/hr-worklife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6961"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/hr-worklife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6961"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/hr-worklife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6961"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":6955,"date":"2026-04-08T05:18:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T05:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/hr-worklife\/?p=6955"},"modified":"2026-03-24T20:24:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T20:24:32","slug":"overthinking-this-will-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/hr-worklife\/2026\/04\/08\/overthinking-this-will-help\/","title":{"rendered":"Overthinking? This will help"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Overthinking is something we all do\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 replaying the past, catastrophising the future\u00a0or getting stuck in loops of doubt and analysis. It feels like problem-solving, but usually just leaves us anxious, overwhelmed and stuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How To Stop Overthinking<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In today’s podcast Dr Jessamy Hibberd<\/a> shares a five-step plan to help you recognise overthinking, shift your focus and move forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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