Maintaining flexibility is one of the key components of a program for maintaining health and physical fitness according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Although recent studies have shown that static stretch can impair performance on college athletes, the same can not be said for middle-aged adults. According to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, including static stretch as part of a warm up, before competition and exercise can be extremely beneficial. For middle-aged adults, stretching can improve muscle stiffness, balance and prevent injuries without negatively affecting performance.

Source: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

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