The 3 Most Common Stretching Mistakes I see (As an Orthopedic Doctor of Physical Therapy)
When it comes to muscles, both length and strength are important. When trying to improve muscle length or overall flexibility, here are some of the most common mistakes I see in my practice:
Lengthy stretching prior to athletic activity.
At the gym, fitness studios, and along many walking tracks, I see the same mistake over and over again: people “warming up” with long, static stretches. Most often I see this while people are waiting for a fitness class to begin, and they are trying to use their time wisely.
Holding a stretch is (of course!) helpful in working towards lengthening muscles, but muscles don’t like to be overstretched prior to athletic activities. If you think of muscles as rubber bands, it’s best to get the rubber bands moving before athletic activity, but not to over-stretch them out so much that they are less “springy.” Overstretching decreases athletic performance and also increases risk of injury.
When it comes to pre-workout stretching, dynamic is best. Think of moving with short pauses through the motion rather than holding a static stretch. The goal is to literally “warm up” the muscles through their full range- save the elongated stretching for after your cool down.
Not holding stretches for long enough after athletic activity.
A common diagnosis that I have treated in patients is plantar fasciitis. Nine times out of ten, patients are on the right track by stretching their calves, but often are only holding a few seconds and not improving. Elongated stretching (think 30 seconds or more) is more effective than stretching for just a few seconds when it comes to actually increasing the length of muscles.
Forgetting to strengthen in the new range of motion you have established.
Already holding your stretches for 30 seconds or more, but still not seeing results? Try moving your muscle through its full range of motion after a stretch. If the goal of stretch is for your muscle to be able to elongate further, we also have to teach our brains to move in that new motion that we earned.
For the above example of plantar fasciitis, this might look like a person holding a calf stretch for 30 seconds, followed by dynamic dorsiflexion (moving the toes up towards the knee) 10-20 times with a pause at the top of the motion.
These principles are simple, but they are sometimes difficult to put into action without a little outside direction. If you need some advice feel free to schedule a complimentary consultation (for quick tips and tricks) or a complete evaluation (for a tailored stretching and strengthening regimen to meet your needs) here!