For many of us of a certain age, high school gym class began with standing on our toes, and over the years we’ve been taught that it’s a good idea to stretch after exercise.
Ultimately, both could be true, but the differing advice has led to confusion.
Stretching can help you become more flexible, increase your range of motion, and feel better. David Boehm, a human kinesiologist at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John’s, Canada, offers this advice on when to stretch and how to do it safely:
First, warm up
While stretching is a good idea in most cases, it’s a good idea to warm up first, says Boehm, author of “The Science and Physiology of Flexibility and Stretching.” He recommends five to 10 minutes of light aerobic exercise, such as jogging, walking or cycling.
We then do static stretches — the traditional method of holding your arms outstretched (think gym class) — followed by movement-specific dynamic stretches, which warm up your muscles with repetitive movements like leg raises.
Boehm says one minute is the “magic number” for how long you can do static stretches for each muscle group without fatigue.
Broadening the definition of “stretch”
Should you always stretch before exercising? Not necessarily if you’re doing traditional stretching.
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Boehm says the better question is, “Should people increase their range of motion? Should they increase their flexibility?” The answer is yes, because it helps prevent injury. It’s good for your health. But you don’t need to stretch to get that.
For example, strength training can be an effective way to stretch, he says. Chest presses, whether you use a barbell, dumbbells, or a machine, increase the range of motion of your deltoids and pectoral muscles, so there’s no need to stretch beforehand — just start with a small amount of weight as a warm-up, and then work your way up in your workout.
“Unless you’re a gymnast, figure skater or golfer who requires a large range of motion during your swing, you probably don’t need to do any extra stretching,” Boehm says.
If you’re running slowly, there’s no need to stretch first. Start with a slow jog to warm up, then pick up the pace.
If it hurts, stop
After exercise, “light stretching is fine, as long as it’s not painful,” says Boehm. Your muscles are warm at that point, and overstretching increases the chance of injury.
Foam rolling has been shown to aid muscle recovery, increase range of motion, and provide stretching effects.
Do static stretches before playing sports
If you play sports, doing static stretches beforehand can help reduce muscle and tendon injury, says Boehm.
“If you’re doing any kind of explosive movement, change of direction, agility, sprinting or any other explosive activity that uses muscles and tendons, static stretching will make you stronger,” he said.
You may especially get into trouble if you return to a sport you previously participated in, such as tennis, surfing, or any type of team activity.
Also, make sure you stretch both sides evenly, as lack of flexibility on one side can lead to injury.
Sounds simple enough, so why is it so confusing?
Various studies over the years have either recommended or recommended against stretching before exercise, in part because some of the studies didn’t reflect real-world conditions or were designed with elite athletes in mind rather than the general population, Boehm said.
“If you’re Usain Bolt, it’s a different story,” Boehm says. But for the rest of us, it’s not so different.
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Albert Stamm writes about food, travel and health. You can find more of his work at: https://www.albertstumm.com
