Stretching, an effective medicine 伸展运动，良药一剂

何高伦

伸展运动是一种身体保健运动，它的益处远比我们想象的要多得多。

Brady Peterson， 75， a retired university professor in Belton， Texas， had always been physically active， working out in a home gym and walking six to ten miles a day. Then， about four years ago， after experiencing gradually increasing stiffness and pain in his extremities， he was diagnosed with an inflammatory （发炎的） disease that can affect every part of the body.

“I couldnt even raise my arm above my head without it hurting. Even just moving my body in bed and trying to sleep became difficult and painful for me，” he recalls. Petersons doctor said that hed need to take drugs long?term. But Peterson knew that the drugs could have side effects that he hoped to avoid. “I asked my doctor if I could work on another approach before beginning the treatment，” he says. The doctor agreed and scheduled a follow?up appointment for six months later. In the meantime， Peterson started eating better and stretching. “I focused on stretching as my main approach and I did yoga that I learned from videos，” he says.

His efforts paid off. “I dont remember if there was a breakthrough point， but I did get better. I worked consistently and gradually， and I became more flexible，” he says. When he returned to his doctor six months later， the doctor said that he no longer needed the drugs. Peterson now cycles and hikes， and includes strength training as part of his regular physical activity. “But stretching is essential （必要的） for everything else to work，” he says. “I know when I stretch the muscles in my body on a regular basis， things like just getting up out of my chair or tying my shoes become movements I dont have to think about—I just do them.”

“Stretching can be helpful in preventing injuries， managing muscle soreness， and allowing for participation in a variety of exercises and physical activities，” says Ryan Glatt， a personal trainer and brain health coach.

1. What can be known about Peterson？

A. He suffered a deadly disease when he was young.

B. He taught at a high school before he retired.

C. He paid much attention to physical exercise.

D. He took drugs to treat his disease.

2. The underlined word “approach” in paragraph 2 refers to .

A. appointment B. exercise

C. drug D. treatment

3. What does Ryan Glatt think of stretching？

A. It is quite beneficial.

B. It can cure some diseases.

C. It requires many physical activities.

D. It can increase the risk of muscle soreness.

Useful expressions

stiffness and pain 又僵又疼

be diagnosed with 被診断出

have side effects 有副作用

in the meantime 同时

be essential for 对……至关重要

on a regular basis 经常B76C6AAF-029F-4CDF-B006-78D12E6F5DD1