Stretch Your Body

By Wasentha Young, MA

Executive Officers of the University of Michigan Health System: Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, M.D., Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, James O. Woolliscroft, Dean, U-M Medical School; Douglas Strong, Chief Executive Officer, U-M Hospitals and Health Centers; Kathleen Potempa, Dean, School of Nursing.

The Regents of the University of Michigan: Julia Donovan Darlow, Laurence B. Deitch, Denise Ilitch, Olivia P. Maynard, Andrea Fischer Newman, Andrew C. Richner, S. Martin Taylor, Katherine E. White, Mary Sue Coleman, ex officio

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Copyright © 2009 The Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109

Impacting lifestyle changes through integrating cultural relationships

because…

Stretch your body

1

When you stretch, it loosens your muscles.

Loose muscles can make it easier to move.

2

Mayra in Guatemala is very quick.She can go after a ball very quickly because her muscles are strong and loose.

3

Rolando in Panama stretches his legs. With loose leg muscles it is easy for him to sit with his legs crossed.

4

Loose muscles make it easy to bend.

In India, Jasmine does yoga to stretch. She can do a backbend.

5

Being able to bend or do a leg split is called being flexible.

6

Stretching your arms, legs, or body can be lots of fun.

Cho in South Korea stretches when she gets out of bed. It gets her muscles loose and ready to move.

7

You can grab your foot from behind and

stand on one leg.

Some people can touch their toes.

When your muscles are loose, you can do some fun things with your body.

8

What parts of your body can you stretch?

You can stretch your fingers by spreading them apart.

You can stretch your arms out in front or to your sides, up or down by trying to touch the ends of the earth or sky.

9

You can…Stretch your back by bending forward in your chair or wheelchair and touching your toes.

You can stretch your legs by touching the floor without bending your knees.

10

Here are other fun ways to stretch and loosen your muscles.

Join a martial arts or Yoga class

Hang from playscape bars

Dance

11

His sister, Marta agrees. She says, “I feel calm inside after I stretch.”

“When my muscles are loose, I feel better,” says Angelo, in Italy.

12

When you stretch, it can also help you feel calm because it helps your muscles to relax.

When you are relaxed, you can think better.

13

When you are relaxed, you also

sleep better

laugh more and

get along better with others.14

There are other things you can do to relax.

Doing things with

your hands

helps you to relax.

15

Outdoors you can…

Help to plant a garden.

Go fishing with a grownup.

16

Indoors you can…

Make art

Play music

17

* Remember to be safe.

Stretch your muscles just enough, not too much.

If you say ouch, you have stretched too much. 18

Playing video games for a long time?

You should stretch your fingers, arms, and legs. 19

Sitting for a long time watching a movie?

You should stretch your back and legs.

20

You should stretch your whole body.

Reading for a long time?

21

You shouldstretch beforeand after youplay a teamsport likesoccer (fútbol),

baseball,or swimming.

22

* Always ask your parents before you go anywhere, and let them know who is going to be with you.

23

Remember to stretch your muscles.

It will make you feel loose and relaxed.

24

Remember to

move your body.

25

Special thanks to the University of Michigan Health System• Bertha Aycock, RD

– Program for Multicultural Health• Esther Ayers

– RAHS Scarlet Middle School• Jacqueline Dieball, MSSA

– Program for Multicultural Health• Catherine Kraus, RD, MEd, CHES

– Pediatrics – (Weight Management), MPower, MPower Juniors Programs

• Bethany Lemm, MPH, LLMSW– MHealthy Health Education Resource Center

• Lindsey Mitchell, MPH– Project Healthy Schools and Health Education

• Linda Schroeder, MPH, PT, CHT– Clinical Specialist, Physical Therapy

Special thanks to Thurston Elementary School, Ann Arbor

For additional information contact:2600 Green Rd., Ste. 150 CAnn Arbor, MI 48105-0792

Phone: (734) 615 1404 Fax: (734) 615 2191

www.med.umich.edu/Multicultural