Pain: What it means

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Pain: What it Means

In stretching, as with any physical activity, it is possible to injure yourself. Muscles, tendons and ligaments can be strained or torn. For your knowledge, tendons attach muscles to bone, ligaments attach bone to bone. Tendons and muscles have good nerve supply and good circulation. They heal quickly (however, this is relative to the condition of the individual, age of the individual, and the health of the individual. The worse the physical condition, the older the individual, the poorer the health, the slower the healing process). Muscles heal more rapidly than tendons, since they have more blood supply.
Ligaments, on the other hand, have poor blood and nerve supply. They heal slowly, and sometimes, never heal properly.
You should not feel any sudden tears, rips, or rapid burning sensations when stretching. Injuries can be avoided by moving slowly and listening to your body. You may feel discomfort, pulling, and mild burning in the muscles when you hold a stretch for a few minutes (which I recommend as you become more comfortable with stretching). Breath deeply when you feel these sensations, as you bring fresh oxygen to the muscle tissues which helps with their recovery. As the muscles stretch and relax, the position becomes more comfortable.
Don't be discouraged if a certain stretch seems impossible at first. There were many I could not do at all when I started, and some took years for me to accomplish. Persistence and determination will help you achieve your goals.