To Stretch or Not to Stretch? It Depends, says Step & Spine PT

Barrett Ford, PT, owner and lead physical therapist here at Step & Spine Physical Therapy (Sisters and Redmond), has read plenty of studies and reports through the years about the effectiveness of stretching before competing or working out. It’s a topic, he says, that’s evolved through the years from “Should I Stretch Before or After My Run” (Runners World) to “Reasons Not to Stretch” (New York Times).

“Historically, conventional wisdom stated you had to be very, very thorough about stretching,” Barrett said. “Today, though, we’ve reached a shift where stretching prior to an activity is not the thing to do. It’s been interesting to see the back and forth.”

The latest research has suggested that rather than stretching, a light warm-up before performing or working out is all you need, Barrett said. And while there’s certainly some evidence to support this theory, Barrett added he can’t get completely on board with this line of thinking.

Why?

“All people were not created equally,” he said. “I don’t think it’s realistic to make a generalized statement where we’re not taking into consideration such factors as age, genetic makeup, flexibility, and body structure.”

Each of these factors will help a person determine where he or she lies on the stretch-before-performance spectrum – whether one would benefit from stretching before hitting the gym, the asphalt, the field, or the court, or if a simple warm-up will suffice.

The Bounce in Your Step

According to Barrett, researchers who suggest people should not stretch before physical activity say that the timing of said stretching can reduce the elasticity in a person’s muscles, joints and tendons. Stretching can take the beneficial bounce from your step which, in other words, can lead to poor performances – slower speeds, for instance, or reduced explosiveness – while not doing much in the way of injury prevention.

As Barrett sees it, the flaw in this logic is the assumption that the level of tension and flexibility in one person’s body is the same as that in everyone’s body. That’s simply not the case.

“It goes without saying that everyone’s body is different,” he said. “Some people are naturally tense and lack flexibility, while others have bodies that are more loosey-goosey – the yoga superstar, for instance. Each of these people’s bodies, then, will have to go through a different regimen to reach the point of optimal performance, and that may or may not include pre-performance stretching.”

To illustrate this point, Barrett suggests thinking of our bodies as trampolines. Like a trampoline, our bodies’ ability to function, he said, exists in the ability to load, then unload and explode – to absorb the impact of our weight, then push back against the force of gravity to walk, run, and jump.

A trampoline that’s too loose, he points out, will make this process difficult, as would a trampoline that’s too tight. The key is to find the sweet spot in both flexibility and tension which maximizes our capacity to jump the highest – to perform our best.

“That’s why if you’re already a flexible person as is, a little warm-up before a performance or competition is ample. Stretching would make you too loose, like a cheap trampoline,” Barrett said. “But if you’re on the very tight side, older side, or are prone to injuries, you may need to spend some time stretching in order to reach your body’s optimal point of elasticity – your sweet spot.”

Signs You Should Stretch

Our bodies are always changing, and though you may have once been one of the more flexible people in your yoga class, time (and the wear and tear that comes along with it) has a way of changing our bodies. So the obvious question is this: How do you know if stretching would be of benefit to you prior to physical activity?

To help, Barrett offered the following signs:

• Stretch if your feet are high-arched (a sign of tension) and you generally feel tightly bound in the hips, calves, upper body and shoulders.
• Stretch if you’re aging – moving up in the years – especially after you reached the 40-plus milestone. It’s this stage in life when flexibility becomes more difficult to maintain.
• Stretch if you find yourself prone to injuries such as strains, sprains and tendonitis.

“If you meet any of these criteria, then you should take more time to stretch before an event or exercise,” Barrett said. “Depending on the aggressiveness of the activity, more thorough stretching may be appropriate.”

For weight-bearing activities, all pre-activity regimens should include stretching the calves, the hamstrings and the hip flexors. Also spend time stretching your shoulders if you’re participating in an overhead sport that includes throwing, spiking, or swinging a racket.

“Also, people who tend to be tense and who lack flexibility might want to take on a daily stretching regimen to make a more permanent change to their bodies,” Barrett added. “Generally the best times to stretch are in the afternoons and evenings.”

To learn more about tension, flexibility, stretching, and athletic enhancement, contact us here at Step & Spine Physical Therapy – 541-588-6848 in Sisters or 541-504-5363 in Redmond.