To Stretch, or Not to Stretch?

Everybody stretch! Who feels better, now?

It is common knowledge that we all should exercise. The latest recommendations from the American College of Sports Medicine state that adults should perform moderately-intense physical activity for 30 minutes five days a week or vigorous physical activity for 20 minutes three days a week, in addition to doing eight to 10 strength-training exercises (eight to 12 repetitions of each) twice a week (health and physician permitting, of course). Moderate and strenuous activity improves the function of our cardiopulmonary and muscular systems. These recommendations are designed to help prevent modifiable health risk factors, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, depression, etc. (ACSM, 2007).

What does stretching do?

Traditionally, stretching has been recommended to reduce risk of injury, increase range of motion, and improve sports performance. Physiologically, muscles have both elastic and plastic properties. Elastic, meaning after a stretch or elongation force, the muscle returns to its original length (like a rubber band). Plastic refers to the muscles' ability to accommodate to a new resting length after a prolonged stretch. With warm plastic, if you slowly apply a force to it, it will yield to a new shape. However, if the plastic is cold, or if the force is applied suddenly, the plastic will break. Muscles respond in much the same way (Kisner, Therapeutic Exercise: Foundations and Techniques, 1990).

Does stretching actually help?

Maybe … maybe not. Recent studies support the notion that pre-exercise stretching may not reduce injury or improve sport performance. Some reports even suggest that there is a decrease in performance with pre-stretching! Warming the tissues through gentle repetitive motions, or warm up activities, prior to exercise appears to have greater benefit (Weerapong, 2004).

So should I stretch?

Stretching still has benefits. According to the Weerapong study above, "The increase in ability to absorb energy in the compliant muscle might help to reduce the mechanical overload on muscle fibers, and consequently reduce the risk of muscle injury and the severity of muscle damage."

With the ever increasing sedentary lifestyle of western society (Reinecke, pp. 971-976, in Advances in Industrial Ergonomics and Safety IV, 2002), our muscles and tendons become less flexible with our static postures, sitting a chair 40+ hours a week. Thus, any sudden increase in stress or force through our tissues (like participating in recreational activities on the weekend) could lead toward injury. Not to mention, our tissues become less elastic as we age.

Also, intentionally stretching at work forces us to move out of those static postures and breaks up repetitive-motion activities (e.g., typing). A change in static posture or repetitive activity decreases the risk of injury.

What stretches should I do?

A gentle warm-up is the best activity before stretching. Get out of that chair, or away form your work station and walk – even for a few moments. This will allow the following stretches to be more comfortable and helpful:

1. Slowly turn your head side-to-side, holding each position for five seconds.
2. Gently tilt your ear toward your shoulder, holding for five seconds.
3. Tuck your chin: Keep your eyes level and make a double chin, holding for 5-10 seconds.

1. Slowly slump your upper back, drop your chin to your chest and round your shoulders forward, holding for 5-10 seconds.
2. Sit up tall and straight, squeezing you shoulder blades together (military "attention" position). Hold position for 10-15 seconds.
3. Place hands behind your head and pull elbows back, holding for five seconds.

1. Extend your arms in front of you with your elbows straight; use one hand to pull the other fingers-wrist down (palm up position and palm down position), holding each for 5-10 seconds.

1. Standing: Place hands on hips and gently bend back, holding for 5-10 seconds.
2. Sitting: Reach straight down in front of you toward the floor, holding for 5-10 seconds.

1. Hamstrings: Standing at the stairs, place one foot on the step and gently lean your trunk forward, keeping you back slightly arched. Hold position for 10-15 seconds.
2. Hips and Quads: Stand next to a chair, placing one knee/shin on the chair and pushing your hips forward. Hold position for 10-15 seconds.
3. Calves: Stand on a step with your heel hanging off, slowly lower your heels. Hold position for 10-15 seconds.

Note: Do not stretch into feeling pain, you should only feel a slight pulling sensation.

If you are looking for an excellent reference see, Bob Anderson's book, Stretching.

Finally, as always, go to your physician or physical therapist for evaluation prior to beginning any exercise program.

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