By: Dr. Haley Brown PT, DPT
Don’t be Fooled
Stretching is often seen as a routine part of exercise due to its benefits of improving mobility, enhancing body mechanics, relieving stress, increasing circulation, and many others. Over the years, a number of myths have emerged about how and when we should stretch. Other myths floating around include reasoning on why to stretch. Many of us have heard the advice to “always stretch before you work out” or “stretching will prevent injury,” but these ideas may not be entirely accurate. Many don’t know the difference between “tightness” and “stiffness.” In the following paragraphs, we’ll explore some of the most common stretching myths and get down to hard scientific research based facts.
Myth 1: Stretching Should Be Painful
Many people believe that in order for stretching to be effective, it should feel uncomfortable or even painful. The thought is that the more you stretch, the more flexibility you gain.
The Truth: Stretching should never cause pain. In fact, stretching to the point of pain can lead to overstretching and other injuries, such as straining or tearing muscles and ligaments. As a guideline, stretching should feel like a gentle pull or mild discomfort at most, but never pain. The sensation of stretching should feel challenging, but not like you’re pushing your body to its limitations.
The Evidence: A study looking at the correlation of stretching and strength performance found that overstretching can have a negative effect on the body’s ability to strength train, leading to injury susceptibility. Of course other factors that weigh into this include other parameters such as sets, reps, and duration of a strength training session. Pain is your body’s way of telling you and sending you a sign that it does not want to go any further and could be dangerous if you do. Listen to what your body tells you and help yourself prevent complications in training and injury.
Myth 2: Stretching Prevents Injury
It’s a common belief that stretching before physical activity will limit and prevent injuries, and even leads to quicker recovery. While stretching does have benefits, it doesn’t necessarily prevent injury or lock in recovery, at least not on its own.
The Truth: Prolonged static stretching prior to physical activity can increase injury risk. More important than stretching before a workout is warming up. Some may not realize the difference between stretching and warming up. Dynamic stretching (active movements that are not held for a prescribed amount of time like leg swings or arm circles) is a great example of what we are looking for when we say “warm up.” This helps increase blood flow to the muscles, raise the body temperature, and prepare the body for more intense physical activity. These movements should help increase your range of motion and engage the muscles in a controlled manner, while preparing them for the tasks ahead.
The Evidence: Research shows that static stretching (holding a stretch for 20-30 seconds) before an activity does not significantly reduce the risk of injury. In fact, some studies have found that stretching cold muscles can actually INCREASE vulnerability to injury. While some studies have found no significant difference in injury rates between athletes who stretched before exercise and those who did not. This depends on the demand of the activity to be performed, for example a gymnast versus a football player. Both skills require mobility, but gymnastics places a higher demand on the tendons which make stretching and flexibility prior to participation more important and beneficial. Stretching has also been shown to calm your muscles & body down which is actually the opposite of what you want when prepping your body for activity. So, static stretching can increase risk of injury if it’s done immediately before exercise without any other dynamic warm up coupled with it.
Myth 3: Stiffness = Tightness
Stiffness and tightness are often used interchangeably and feel like the same thing, but they’re not. It is important to be able to distinguish between the two and understand their complicated relationship.
The Truth: “Stiffness” is a symptom, not a diagnosis. While it is often unpleasant, it does not always indicate true range of motion loss. “Tightness” is a measurable restriction in mobility. You can feel stiff, but not have any decreased motion. You can also be objectively limited in range of motion (tightness), but not feel any discomfort or limitation with movement (stiffness) at all. The trick is figuring out what is causing this sensation or loss of mobility, which could come from a variety of sources including; issues with our nervous system, muscle sensitivity, inflammation, and even psychology. If you are feeling “stiff” you could be suffering from any of the following complications:
- Exercise soreness (DOMS) – caused by temporary muscle tissue irritation as a response to micro-damage in a muscle, like after a hard workout
- Trigger points – small sensitive spots in muscle tissue which can be tender and reactive and may radiate to nearby areas, “knots”
- Tendinopathy or Joint Irritation – caused by repetitive stress as a protective mechanism
- Aging or Inflammation – aging makes us more susceptible to low grade chronic inflammation which makes movement feel more difficult
- Stress and Anxiety – our emotional and psychological states often manifest in our physical state which reinforces protective muscle guarding
The Evidence: Some quick remedies to fight stiffness go along with some topics covered in this article, including stabilizing and strengthening the area to prevent protective muscle guarding, moving often and in different ways, and reducing inflammation and stress by managing sleep, diet and recovery to keep the nervous system happy and healthy.
Myth 4: Stretching Can Fix Muscle Imbalances
Muscle imbalances occur when one muscle group is stronger or tighter than its opposing muscle group, often leading to pain or dysfunction with movement. It is believed that stretching is the solution to leveling out these imbalances and restoring movement quality.
The Truth: Stretching can help improve flexibility, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. If you only stretch tight muscles without strengthening weaker ones, not only will you fail to resolve the imbalance, but you may perpetuate the existing issue leading to further injury and problems. A well-rounded exercise program that includes both stretching and strength training is the most effective way to address this issue.
The Evidence: For example, a study looking at prevention of ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tears in the knee found we not only need good hamstring (back of the thigh) flexibility, but we also need quadriceps (front of the thigh) strength. These two goals, completed in harmony along with others like agility, and balance, will help keep your knees healthy and prevent serious injury such as ligament tearing. Similar principles can be applied to other areas of the body.
Stretch Smarter, Not Harder
Stretching can be a valuable part of your fitness routine, but it’s essential to understand the best practices to avoid injury and maximize benefits. Focus on dynamic stretches during your warm-up, reserve static stretches for your cool-down, and always stretch to the point of mild discomfort at most — never pain. Stretching should complement your overall fitness plan, not be relied upon as a one stop shop. It is just as important to incorporate strength training. This approach will help you stay flexible, strong, and injury-free in the long run.
If you’re unsure about how to incorporate stretching and mobility into your routine or if you’re dealing with any muscle imbalances, pain, or injuries, a physical therapist at Inside Track can help. We will assess your individual needs and provide personalized stretching and strengthening strategies to address any underlying issues. Whether you’re recovering from an injury or simply looking to improve your flexibility, we can help you avoid common pitfalls and master the art of stretching and mobility to maximize your performance.
References:
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- Gremion G. Is stretching for sports performance still useful? A review of the literature. 2005;1(28):1830-1834.
- Rubini EC, Costa AL, Gomes PS. The effects of stretching on strength performance. Sports Med. 2007;37(3):213-224. doi:10.2165/00007256-200737030-00003
- Page P. Current concepts in muscle stretching for exercise and rehabilitation. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2012 Feb;7(1):109-19. PMID: 22319684; PMCID: PMC3273886.
- @Coach.Mitch.DPT. “Stretching probably isn’t the answer to feeling stiff or tight..” Feb 6, 2025. https://www.instagram.com/coach.mitch.dpt/p/DFdlSC4xpKl/?img_index=1
- Stathokostas L, Little RM, Vandervoort AA, Paterson DH. Flexibility training and functional ability in older adults: a systematic review. J Aging Res. 2012;2012:306818. doi: 10.1155/2012/306818. Epub 2012 Nov 8. PMID: 23209904; PMCID: PMC3503322.