Lājīn, or tendon stretching, is a method that utilizes a person’s own body weight, modified by the angle of elevation, to convert their weight into a stretching force. This effectively helps to stretch and soothe all the tendons and meridians throughout the body.
Stretching is also a way to warm up before physical activity, which helps prevent muscle strains. Correct stretching methods can promote smooth blood flow throughout the body, helping to achieve the goals of self-healing and diagnosing the body’s condition.
| Chinese Name | Lājīn (拉筋) |
| Definition | An exercise that helps stretch and soothe the tendons and meridians of the entire body. |
| Benefits | Promotes smooth blood circulation, eliminates pain and illness. |
| Principle | When bones are aligned and tendons are soft, qi and blood flow freely. |
Historical Records
Over 2,500 years ago, the “Huangdi Neijing” (The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine) clearly recorded: “When bones are aligned and tendons are soft, qi and blood flow freely. For every inch the tendons lengthen, life is extended by ten years.” Martial arts, qigong, and yoga exercises in daily life all fall under the category of stretching exercises.
The “Daoist Teachings on Nurturing Life” state that the paths of the twelve major tendons are the same as the twelve meridians. Therefore, where tendons are tight or “shrunken,” the meridians are also blocked, and “blockage leads to pain.” Stretching can soften stiff tendons and allow misaligned vertebrae to return to their proper position, which can alleviate or eliminate pain, numbness, and swelling in the waist, knees, limbs, and throughout the body.
Stretching Methods
The stretching exercise method is a simple and easy-to-learn health practice. Yoga contains many “stretching” movements, and stretching in your leisure time is beneficial for health. If you often feel soreness in your neck and lower back, numbness in your hands and feet, or minor dysfunctions in your body, from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, this is likely due to “jīn suō” (筋缩) or “tendon shrinkage.” Spending a few minutes each day on stretching exercises can help unblock blood vessels, and naturally, ailments and pains will disappear. When stretching, it is crucial to understand that merely tolerating pain does not negate the fact that muscles and tendons can be strained. Special attention should be paid to progressing gradually and avoiding haste.
Example of Stretching Methods:
- Supine Stretching Method
- Standing Stretching Method
- Neck Stretching Method
- Squatting Stretching Method
All of the 4 methods will be including in Shi Jin Jing (十筋經) – The Ten Tendons Classic classes.
Efficacy and Function
Stretching is both a treatment and a diagnostic tool. Simply put, the principle of stretching is to dredge the meridians. By working on the tendons, blocked meridians are cleared, allowing qi and blood to flow smoothly. When absorption and digestion are normal, the body becomes healthy. In TCM, the meridians and the circulation of qi and blood are complementary. If the meridians are healthy, qi and blood will flow smoothly, and the internal organs will function actively. Stretching is a method of self-managed health.
Through correct stretching, one can dredge the meridians, enhance the circulation of qi and blood, and thereby improve various acute and chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, gynecological diseases, heart disease, prostate issues, and pain caused by bone misalignments and tendon shrinkage, ultimately promoting longevity.
- As a therapy for “tendon shrinkage,” stretching has always been a part of qigong and yoga practices. There is a Daoist saying: “For every inch the tendons lengthen, life is extended by ten years.” Long-lived people often have supple bones and tendons. It has been proven that many people suffering from tendon shrinkage, after consistently practicing stretching, find their steps become lighter, and their back pain is reduced or even disappears. Stretching, this easy-to-learn and easy-to-do health method, has become a major tool for many people to stay away from sub-health.
- The direct therapeutic effects of stretching include pain relief, detoxification, and enhancement of bodily functions.
What is the principle behind stretching therapy?
- First, the paths of the twelve major tendons are the same as the twelve meridians. Therefore, where tendons are tight, the meridians are also blocked, and blockage leads to pain. During stretching, feelings of pain in the hips, inner thighs, and the back of the knees indicate that these areas have tendon shrinkage and the corresponding meridians are obstructed. Stretching softens the tendons, allowing misaligned vertebrae to return to their proper position. Thus, “bones are aligned and tendons are soft, and qi and blood flow freely,” and symptoms like pain, numbness, and swelling in the waist, knees, limbs, and the whole body are eliminated or alleviated.
- Second, stretching can open up the Du Meridian (Governor Vessel) and the Bladder Meridian along the back. This is of great significance to health because the Du Meridian is the confluence of all yang meridians and the channel for yuan qi (primordial energy). When this meridian is open, kidney function is strengthened. The kidneys are the foundation of congenital health and the source of essence and qi; a person’s energy and sexual vitality depend on strong kidney function. The Du Meridian runs along the spine, and the spinal cord connects directly to the brain, so there is an intricate connection between the spine and brain-related diseases. The Bladder Meridian is the body’s largest detoxification system and an important barrier against wind and cold. When the Bladder Meridian is unobstructed, wind and cold can hardly invade, internal toxins are expelled promptly, and symptoms like obesity, constipation, acne, and skin spots will naturally be eliminated or reduced. Explained in terms of Western medical theory, the main nerves and blood vessels connecting the brain and the internal organs are attached to the spine and the bones on either side of it. Clearing the pathways up and down the spine naturally clears away many visible health “landmines.”
For instance, if one experiences knee pain and cannot straighten the leg during stretching, it is a sure sign of tendon shrinkage. Tendon shrinkage primarily indicates that the Liver Meridian is not flowing smoothly, because the liver governs the tendons, and if the Liver Meridian is obstructed, the spleen and stomach will not function well either. If there is pain in the hips or the popliteal fossa (the back of the knee), it indicates a blockage in the Bladder Meridian. For those with an obstructed Bladder Meridian, the Kidney Meridian will not be smooth either, and issues like edema, obesity, frequent urination, and diabetes are all related to this. If, when lying down, the raised arm cannot touch the surface of the bench, it indicates frozen shoulder. Some people, when they lie on a stretching bench, cannot straighten their raised leg, and their lowered leg hangs in the air unable to touch the ground. This indicates severe tendon shrinkage, suggesting not only腰腿痛 (lumbago and leg pain) but also possibly various problems with internal organs. Stretching is both a treatment and a diagnosis. Regular stretching exercises can help everyone better understand their own physical condition and improve it in a timely manner.