Stretching is an important part of exercise. When you stretch, you elongate your muscles, improving flexibility, thus giving your joints a broader range of comfortable motion. Flexibility is associated with greater muscle balance around the active joints, which leads to better posture. Stretching also reduces risk of injury and muscle soreness by helping to transport blood and nutrients to muscles and cartilage. Before stretching, do three to five minutes of cardiovascular exercise to warm your muscles up. You should stretch your major muscle groups by doing one to three sets of 10-60 second stretches in each position. It is important to apply a bit of tension to your muscles while stretching but not so much that it's painful.

Though stretching is usually a good thing, there are certain circumstances under which you should refrain from stretching. These include:

• when muscles are strained or ligaments are sprained.

• when muscles are inflamed, hurt, or infected.

• after a fracture or when muscles or joints are experiencing sharp pains.

In sum, you should generally be stretching before doing intense workouts, but if you're in pain or start hurting while you're stretching, it's important to stop.

After reading answer the question, According to the article, what are some instances in which one should refrain from stretching? 2-3 sentences

Some instances in which one should refrain from stretching according to the article include when muscles are strained or ligaments are sprained, when muscles are inflamed, hurt, or infected, and after a fracture or when muscles or joints are experiencing sharp pains. It is important to avoid stretching in these situations to prevent further injury or discomfort.