When it comes to poor exercise habits, not making time to stretch before or after exercise is top of the list for most of us. But what does stretching do to your body? Can it really make a difference in your recovery?
We reviewed the research and spoke with Luke Hughes, a Level 4 PT and founder of OriGym (opens in a new tab)to understand more about the benefits of stretching (opens in a new tab).
Why should I stretch?
Like cardio or strength training, stretching is a broad church and covers a variety of movements that are useful in different ways.
“It helps to both relax and lengthen the muscles in your body, improving your range of motion as a result, while also decreasing the likelihood of acute muscle strain injuries,” says Hughes.
Targeted stretching can also help as part of rehab if you’re already injured. research from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (opens in a new tab) found that people with acute plantar fasciitis (a painful condition under the feet, common among runners in particular) who performed stretching exercises had better results than those who underwent shock wave therapy, while Archives of Internal Medicine (opens in a new tab) found that stretching therapies were more effective than yoga in reducing chronic low back pain.
Stretching before and after exercise
The key to pre-exercise stretching is to keep it primarily dynamic: active movements that allow the muscles to work through their range of motion.
“These repetitive movements act as an early warning system for your body, so it’s prepared for what you’re about to do,” says Hughes. “Muscle fibers loosen and lengthen, increasing the amount of movement you can achieve with those muscles. ”
Different dynamic stretches suit different workouts, but could, for example, include leg swings for runners, walking lunges for soccer players, arm swings for swimmers, and spinal rotations for anyone who needs flexibility in their workouts. The upper part of the body.
While most fitness experts encourage dynamic stretching before a workout, a review by Canadian scientific publications (opens in a new tab) – from hundreds of studies in 2015 found that there is nothing wrong with combining some static stretches as part of a full warm-up that gets the blood pumping, as the combination can help reduce muscle tension.
However, once you’ve finished your workout, static stretching will offer you the most benefit. “Static stretching requires you to move a muscle as far as you can without pain, holding the stretch for a total of 20 to 45 seconds, repeating it several times,” says Hughes. Another minimum of 10 minutes is a good goal to help you cool off.
Other types of stretching
In addition to dynamic and static, there are other types of stretching. Hughes explains some of the varieties:
- Ballistic Stretch: Similar to static, but requires you to act quickly rather than gradually, going beyond your average range of motion. For example, the act of touching your toes will now require you to bounce and move towards your feet.
- Passive Stretch: Requires an external force to create resistance – could be another person, an accessory, such as a resistance band (opens in a new tab), or even just gravity. Interestingly, just 12 weeks of passive stretching five times a week can help reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes, as it helps improve blood flow by improving arterial health, according to the physiological society (opens in a new tab).
- PNF Stretch: Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching requires you to actively stretch your muscles through a combination of alternating contractions and relaxation techniques. However, this should only be done with the guidance of an expert.
- Isometric stretch: An advanced type of static stretching that involves the resistance of muscle groups through the use of isometric contractions. For example, placing one leg straight on a chair and pressing the leg down creates an isometric contraction.
Which muscles need more stretching?
To some extent, your stretching should be directed by the exercise you prefer. So if you’re doing an upper body weight session, you’ll want to pay attention to your arms, shoulders, and core muscles. A runner may want to spend more time on their legs and glutes. But there are certain muscles that could work with regular TLC.
“I advise you to pay special attention to the muscles that are responsible for your general mobility,” says Hughes. “This includes the calves, the hamstrings, the hip flexors in the pelvis, and the quadriceps in the front of the thighs. By regularly stretching these areas, you help keep the muscles long and flexible, which in turn can help keep your balance.” As you age, your muscles tend to shorten and tighten, so your future self will thank you for putting in the effort now.
What if I don’t stretch enough?
It’s not the most enjoyable part of a workout, but regular stretching could save you from serious pain in the long run. “Inflexibility will cause your muscles to tire faster and your joints to become more prone to injury. This will cause abnormal stress on the structures, which in turn will lead to less blood and nutrients in the joints,” says Hughes.
And if you’re a gym bunny, things can get more complicated. “Regular athletes will also have an excess of anti-inflammatory lactic acids inside their body, a stimulant that causes sore muscles. When you stretch, your body begins to break down and get rid of this noxious product, while delivering oxygen to your body.” muscles.”
In other words, missing a session isn’t a big deal, but not stretching regularly could lead to a buildup of problems like muscle soreness and inflexibility, especially if you exercise frequently.
