As a former dancer, I once believed that the secret to my performance lay in stretching as much as possible. Flexibility appeared essential for executing flawless high kicks and elegant backbends. I stretched incessantly—before class, during breaks, after class, and while relaxing at home.
Eventually, I learned that excessive static stretching before physical activity isn’t advisable. Nevertheless, I continued my compulsive routine of stretching after fitness classes, following runs, and each evening, long after my dancing days ended and my fitness goals shifted to simply maintaining an active, injury-free lifestyle.
Despite the seemingly harmless nature of my stretching habits, given my natural flexibility and lack of mobility problems, it probably didn’t offer significant benefits. Still, stretching felt like a vital component of my fitness routine—just as essential as the workouts themselves, creating the impression that no exercise session was complete without it.
Although stretching is indeed a vital part of a well-rounded fitness plan, those who are routinely active can easily forgo some of those post-exercise stretches. According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), stretching just two to three times a week suffices for sustaining muscle health and joint flexibility, with the timing of these stretches being relatively unimportant.
However, as the popularity of stretching has surged—both as an addition to workout regimens and as a standalone exercise—and with a deluge of fitness tips flooding social media, many individuals have come to see stretching as a cure-all for physical discomfort or the ultimate key to enhancing recovery.
In truth, while stretching is beneficial, minimal amounts can still provide valuable advantages. So, what contributes to our collective guilt surrounding stretching?
The Purpose Behind Stretching
The primary aim of stretching is to improve our body’s ability to move. Heather Milton, RCEP, CSCS, an exercise physiologist at NYU Langone’s Sports Performance Center, explains that the effectiveness of stretching depends on the type employed.
Dynamic stretches, such as hip circles or arm swings, focus on moving joints through their full range of motion. They warm up muscles, lubricate joints, and prepare the body for movement, facilitating smoother exercise routines.
Conversely, static stretches—like toe-touches or held lunges—are intended to maintain or enhance flexibility in the long run. They can play an essential role in alleviating tightness resulting from repetitive movements, extended periods of sitting, or aging.
In simpler terms, stretching enables our bodies to maximize their range of motion. Without it, we might face issues like compensatory injuries, as exercise physiologist Tom Holland, CSCS, CISSN, points out. These injuries occur when our bodies compensate for tightness or immobility in other areas, disrupting natural movement patterns and potentially causing harm.
Delineating Stretching, Warming Up, and Cooling Down
Often, stretching, warming up, and cooling down are incorrectly categorized together, even though each serves distinct purposes in enhancing workout efficiency and preventing injuries. Such misunderstandings often cloud the clear understanding of when and why we should stretch.
For instance, one might notice runners stretching their calves against a tree before a race in an attempt to warm up. Milton clarifies that static stretches don’t warm the body; indeed, staying still does not produce body heat. Research has indicated that static stretching prior to exercise can temporarily reduce muscle strength by as much as 10 percent, which may heighten the risk of injury.
In contrast, effective warm-ups require dynamic stretches and light aerobic activities, such as jogging in place or high knees. Their goal is to increase heart rate and warm up the body, according to Holland.
Milton describes warm-ups as the progressive transition from a state of rest to active engagement, while cool-downs offer the opposite transition. Instead of focusing on stretching, cool-downs should gradually bring the body from the energetic state of exercise to a resting one, facilitating a switch from an active sympathetic nervous state to a relaxed parasympathetic state essential for recovery.
Although static stretching can form part of a cool-down, it isn’t obligatory. Alternatives such as deep breathing, meditation following exercise, or a leisurely post-workout walk can be more effective for transitioning out of workout mode.
What Stretching Achieves and What It Doesn’t
It may seem logical to incorporate stretching after a workout, especially since muscles are more pliable following exertion. However, the timing—whether directly after exercise or later while settling down with a show—holds little significance, as stated by Gregory Rubin, DO, a sports medicine physician. Stretching immediately after does not prevent injuries, accelerate recovery, reduce muscle soreness, or diminish the likelihood of repetitive use injuries.
What stretching can effectively accomplish, however, is help prevent injuries and discomfort stemming from tense muscles or limited mobility.
If experiencing tightness or pain, such as in the lower back or hamstrings, stretching might appear to be an obvious remedy. However, physical therapist Ari Kaplan, PT, DPT, warns against viewing stretching as a universal solution to these issues. In some cases, tightness may serve as a protective reaction to a deeper underlying concern that stretching alone cannot resolve.
“When our stretching efforts yield no improvement in movement or long-lasting relief, it’s often an indicator of a more profound underlying condition, such as structural imbalances or muscle overuse,” Kaplan explains.
Optimal Stretching: How Much and When?
Reflecting on my prior stretching practices, I recognize that I clung to the misconception that greater flexibility would equate to enhanced health and fitness. However, the reality is that most physical activities necessitate only a sufficient level of flexibility to support our natural motion range. Striving for excessive flexibility can indeed lead to injuries, especially when realizing that limitations can stem from joint issues, not merely muscle flexibility—a perfectly natural occurrence, Milton observes.
The quest for extreme flexibility can impose its own challenges. “Increased flexibility can make joints more susceptible to injuries,” Holland notes. Moreover, beyond a certain threshold, excess flexibility can compromise strength, as “muscles can stretch to a point of diminished power, adversely impacting athletic performance,” Dr. Rubin explains.
When considering the appropriate quantity and timing for stretching, Milton recommends incorporating dynamic stretches into your warm-up routine before engaging in physical activities.
As for static stretches, unless faced with specific mobility restrictions or injuries, aim to include them several times a week—either post-exercise or at other suitable moments when the body is warmed up. A duration of 15 to 30 seconds for each stretch is typically adequate, as supported by various studies, and addressing all major muscle groups should be a brief process.
Exercise caution to stretch only to the point of mild discomfort, avoiding any stretch that induces pain. A sign of overstretching is the need to hold your breath, as noted by Milton. She underscores the notion that stretching should serve as maintenance for your existing mobility level rather than a means to substantially enhance it, unless notable tightness or restrictions are present.
Holland observes that “there’s a common tendency to overemphasize certain practices in small doses, while the optimal approach usually lies in consistently engaging in modest activities.” The concept is far more straightforward than most people realize.
