Appreciate every movement

It’s the season of gratitude. Are you thankful for your ability to move your body painlessly and with ease? If the answer is no, and you’re not sure how to relieve the tension, schedule an assisted stretch at StretchLab and let your trained Flexologist do it for you.

“The holidays are full of joy and celebration, but they can also bring long hours of sitting, standing, cooking, wrapping, traveling and stress,” Area Manager Jenna Head says. “All that can leave your body feeling stiff and tense. Stretching is one of the most effective ways to stay healthy and balanced for the holidays.”

Holiday activities, and, if we’re honest, sometimes family gatherings, can bring on stress and tension that manifests physically, leaving the body vulnerable to injury. 

Finding ways to reduce that stress promotes relaxation. Stretching with a StretchLab assisted stretch is a perfect way to stay healthy, both mentally and physically, this season.

All Flexologists have a background in a related field like exercise science, kinesiology, yoga or personal training and complete an extensive, three-tiered certification process including extensive online coursework, in-person workshops and 20-plus practice hours administering StretchLab’s signature 26 stretches. 

“Your initial stretch begins with a simple MAPS assesment,” Jenna says. “MAPS determines mobility, activation, posture and symmetry to ensure your Flexologist focuses on the right muscle groups, and you get the most out of your session.”

Before that first stretch, a StretchLab team member will reach out to ask about your goals, lifestyle or past injuries.

“This is a personal, hands-on experience, not a one-stretch-fits-all,” Jenna says. “For instance, the MAPS test allows us to measure your capability in terms of movement, but there’s also great value in actually feeling your restrictions when we give you a stretch. We can feel your starting point and then feel your progress. No workout class or yoga session offers this.”

Jenna says stretching is the most neglected form of fitness, with many people avoiding it because they aren’t sure what to do or are afraid to makes things worse. 

“With a StretchLab stretching program, you’ll see and feel the improvement and your Flexologist will, too,” Jenna says. “Clients walk out feeling amazing and, especially with older clients, we see improvements in gait and function. We also give you ‘homework,’ so you have the confidence to stretch on your own without fear of injury.”

This time of year, everyone is getting outdoors less and less. Our activity level slows down and so does our motivation for movement. Unfortunately, this doesn’t do the body any good, but stretching can help keep you in shape over the winter months so you’re ready for the golf course and pickleball or tennis courts when spring rolls around. 

“People often come in panicking in March or April because they’ve been sitting for four or five months and feel stiff and have lost a lot of range of motion,” Jenna says. “We recommend you keep stretching throughout the winter so you’re not back at square one come spring.”

Stretching with StretchLab is the gift you can give yourself this season. It’s a small act of self-care that delivers big results throughout the year, keeping you calm, flexible and healthier—both physically and emotionally. 



“Let us give you a stretch,” Jenna says. “You’ll be thankful you did."

Stretch Lab Fairlawn is located at 3763 West Market St., Suite E, in Fairlawn. To schedule your $49, 50-minute initial stretch, call 330-664-9544, visit StretchLab.com or email fairlawn@stretchlab.com.