Can You Over Stretch? Here’s What Fitness Experts Want You to Know

Stretching feels great. You can do it almost anywhere. It gets your blood pumping and can help relieve muscle tension and soreness. It can also make your movements feel smoother and more comfortable. So, it’s unsurprising that we often turn to stretching to improve our flexibility and mobility. But as with many things, too much of a good thing can have adverse effects. If you have ever felt pain or discomfort while stretching, you may have wondered, can you overstretch? This blog will explore this topic and help you discover how to enhance your flexibility and mobility without risking injury by overstretching. We’ll explain what overstretching is, why it can occur, how to avoid it, and provide expert tips to help you optimize your mobility exercises.

One valuable tool to help you achieve your goals is Pliability’s mobility app. With simple routines designed by expert athletes and trainers, you can safely enhance your flexibility and mobility without risking injury by overstretching. 

What Are the Benefits of Stretching?

You may think of stretching as something performed only by runners or gymnasts. But we all need to stretch to protect our mobility and independence. Many people don't understand that stretching has to happen regularly. Ideally, it should be daily. 

Why Stretching is Important

Stretching keeps the muscles flexible and healthy; we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they cannot extend all the way. That puts you at risk for:
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• Joint pain
• Strains
• Muscle damage
  ‍
  

Sitting in a chair all day results in tight hamstrings in the back of the thigh. That can make it harder to extend your leg or straighten your knee, which inhibits walking.

Muscle Strain

Likewise, when tight muscles are suddenly called on for a strenuous activity that stretches them, such as playing tennis, they may become damaged from suddenly being stretched. Injured muscles may not be strong enough to support the joints, which can lead to joint injury.

Regular stretching keeps muscles long, lean, and flexible, which means that exertion won't put too much force on the muscle itself. Healthy muscles also help people with balance problems avoid falls.

Key Muscle Groups

With a body full of muscles, daily stretching may seem overwhelming. It's most important to focus on the body areas needed for critical for mobility: 
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• Your lower extremities
• Your calves
• Your hamstrings
• Your hip flexors in the pelvis and quadriceps in the front of the thigh
  ‍

Stretching your shoulders, neck, and lower back is also beneficial. Aim for a program of daily stretches at least three or four times per week.

What Are the Benefits of Stretching?

Before discussing whether you can overstretch, it’s important to understand what range of motion and flexibility mean and how they differ.

Range of motion is how far a given joint is designed to move under ideal conditions. This is different for everyone because skeletal structures differ from one person to the next, including:
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• The placement of the joint
• The deepness or shallowness of the joint
• The size and angle of the bones connecting to the joint
  ‍

Soft Tissue Elasticity

It can even vary due to the connection points and natural genetic elasticity of your soft tissues (tendons, ligaments, and muscle), which work to:
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• Control 
• Limit range of motion. 
  ‍

Think about it: Your tendons, ligaments, and muscles keep your upper arm bone secure and in place within the highly unstable shoulder joint.

Flexibility Factors

Flexibility is how far a given joint can comfortably move within its ideal range of motion. In other words, if your hips are designed to move at a specific range of motion, are you able to do so, or are you limited due to factors affecting your flexibility? 

Do you have tightness, muscular imbalances, past injuries, scar tissue, or increased muscle or fat mass that prevent you from moving at your maximum range of motion?

Optimal Flexibility

The reason why flexibility is considered a key component of fitness isn’t so that everyone can be excessively bendy; instead, it’s to maintain an optimal range of motion that allows you to move comfortably and freely based on your own needs without pain or problems.

The intent of stretching (and other related exercises) should be to attain or maintain the proper range of motion at your joints based on your health- and fitness-related goals. Also, there are limits to an individual’s healthy flexibility based on the shape of the joints and the qualities of someone’s tendons and ligaments, which are based on genetics.

Joint Muscle Protection

“The underlying principle of stretching is quite basic and boils down to two basic structures: joints and muscles. We are trying to protect them with flexibility, but not injure them with forceful disruption of muscle/collagen fiber,” explains M. Ramin Modabber, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, and medical director and chief medical officer for the Amgen Tour of California. 

Understanding this goal of stretching should help you choose proper stretches and techniques without pushing yourself too far.

Other Benefits

Increases Flexibility And Range Of Motion

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• Regular stretching can increase flexibility and improve your range of motion. 
• Improving flexibility opens up the body, releasing stress and tension. It also helps treat and prevent back pain. 
• Increasing your range of motion allows your body to work efficiently and effectively. This allows you to go about your daily activities with less effort and perform at a higher level during sports, reducing your chance of injury. 
  ‍

Boosts Blood Flow And Circulation 

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• Getting the blood flowing to your muscles supports your body’s overall function by reducing stress and delivering oxygen throughout your body. This is especially important if you spend much time sitting or sedentary. 
• Boosting your blood flow may even start or speed up recovery and prevent delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). 
  ‍

In addition to exercise, include some foods to improve blood flow and circulation. 

Enhances Mood And Well-Being 

Touching on the mind-body connection, Franklin emphasizes using a flexibility routine to tune in to yourself. She encourages her clients to “allow it to be a meditative experience, disconnect from external distractions such as your phone or the television, and tune into yourself.”

She recommends entering a rest and digest state, from which you can process any emotions that arise and move forward. Franklin inspires her clients to practice acceptance and forgiveness to be fully present in each moment.

Helps Balance And Align Your Body

While a perfectly symmetrical body isn’t possible, stretching can make your body more balanced, improving your posture and reducing your chance of injury.

Franklin explains that while you’re never going to achieve full symmetry, you don’t want one side to compensate for the less flexible side. She recommends spending some extra time on an injured or nondominant side to rehabilitate it.

Should Everyone Perform the Same Type of Stretch?

Static Stretching: The Safe and Sound Way to Improve Flexibility

Static stretching is one of the safest ways to stretch. It involves pulling the target muscle until you feel a gentle stretch, then holding the position for a few breaths. Static stretches shouldn’t cause pain and are primarily for enhancing a person’s flexibility. 

Static stretching can also be:
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• Active
• Passive
• Isometric
  ‍

During a static-active stretch, the position is held using the strength of your agonist muscle. A static-passive stretch is where you have the position with the assistance of a practitioner. An isometric stretch involves resisting muscle groups by tensing the stretched muscles. 

Dynamic Stretching: A More Active Approach to Stretching

A dynamic stretch involves movement while stretching your muscles. It’s commonly performed during a warm-up to an exercise, preparing your muscles for the stress they’re about to undergo. During a dynamic stretch, you make active movements to stretch your muscles to their full range of motion.

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF): An Advanced Stretching Technique

The PNF technique is generally used to increase a person’s range of motion and flexibility. It involves both stretching and contracting the target muscle. It’s an advanced method that can be dangerous if done improperly. 

It’s always best to perform PNF stretches under the supervision of a professional trainer or stretch practitioner. Different forms of PNF stretches are:
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• Contract-relax
• Hold-relax
• Rhythmic initiation
  ‍

Ballistic Stretching: The Dangerous Stretching Technique

Ballistic stretching is one of the most dangerous methods of stretching. It involves stretching the muscle beyond its range of motion and bouncing into and out of the position as if the muscles were like springs. 

You should never try to attempt ballistic stretching on your own. It should be done carefully and under the supervision of a professional trainer or stretch practitioner.

Pliability Benefits

If you're feeling limited by pain or your ability to move, Pliability aims to:
‍

• Complement your existing fitness routine 
• Help you move better
  ‍

Sign up today for 7 days absolutely for free on iPhone, iPad, Android, or our website to improve flexibility, aid recovery, reduce pain, and enhance range of motion with our mobility app.

Related Reading

‍

• Ankle Mobility Exercises
• Shoulder Mobility Exercises
• Hip Mobility Exercises
• How To Improve Flexibility
• Thoracic Mobility Exercises
• Stretch Before Or After Workout
• Wrist Mobility Exercises
• Mobility Exercises For Beginners
• Best Stretching Routine
• Back Mobility Exercises
• Lower Body Mobility Exercises
• Leg Mobility Exercises
• Mobility Exercises For Athletes

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How Long Should You Hold a Stretch?

To start, hold a static stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. You can gradually increase this hold time to 1 to 2 minutes, especially if you’re trying to improve flexibility or working on a specific goal, like the splits.

Active stretching uses movement to lengthen muscles and get your blood flowing. Dynamic stretches, also known as active stretches, use controlled movements to perform a range of motion exercises and help warm up the body before activity. Static stretches are held for a set time, ranging from 10 seconds to 3 minutes.

Stretch Comfort

If you go into a stretch and feel that you want to release immediately, it may be a sign that you must stretch this area more. It’s fine to ease your way into it.

According to Joely Franklin, a Level 3 personal trainer and sports therapist, “If you can bear it, even though it may be a bit uncomfortable, go ahead and hold the stretch for 45 seconds to a minute.”

Relaxation Time

Give your body time to relax into the position. She explains that this gives your body a chance to relax into the position and lets your brain realize that you won’t get hurt. Your muscles may spasm initially, but this is natural, especially if you’re not used to stretching. 

Franklin advises holding a position for up to 3 minutes if there’s an area of your body you’re working to open due to tightness, an injury, or to achieve an intense goal, such as the full splits. 

Know Your Limits: How Long Is Too Long When Stretching?

You also want to ensure you’re not holding the stretch too long. Franklin explains, “If it’s too painful when you’re coming out of the stretch, you’ve held it too long.” 

She stresses the importance of understanding your limits for flexibility. To do this, intuitively connect to your body to know when you’ve done too much.

How Often Should You Stretch? 

As long as you’re not overdoing it, the more regularly you stretch, the better it is for your body. It’s better to stretch for a short time every day or almost every day instead of stretching for a longer time a few times per week.

Do a 20- to 30-minute session at least three times per week. On days when you’re pressed for time, do this 5-minute stretching routine.

Can You Stretch Too Much? Experts Weigh In

It is possible to stretch too much. When we say too much, we mean pushing yourself too far past your current level of flexibility or your joint's given range of motion.

Comfort Zone

This happens when someone actively works to improve flexibility at a given joint (say, to perform splits or master a challenging yoga pose) and assumes that to do so; they need to push themselves beyond their comfort zone. 

This is simply untrue. Every expert emphasizes the need for stretching to be gentle and comfortable, it shouldn't cause pain.

What Happens When You Push Stretching Too Far?

“Don’t force your body to move in any plane more than your body will allow. This is a relatively simple principle that needs to be followed,” emphasizes Matt Tanneberg, D.C., C.S.C.S., Body Check Chiropractic & Sports Rehabilitation owner in Scottsdale, Arizona. 

“If your body is resisting any stretch, take a break from the stretching aspect and get on a foam roller or use a massage gun to loosen up the muscle first, then attempt the same stretch again. When people attempt to push their bodies past the point their body will allow, that creates a risk of injury.”

Even if you’re not tying yourself in knots like dancers, gymnasts, and yogis do, it’s possible to stretch too much. (And yes, super-bendy professionals also need to be careful they don’t push beyond what’s safe—although their threshold might look different from yours.) 

Joint Overstretch

“Overstretching is stretching beyond your joints’ normal range of motion,” says Katie Sun Worrall, a physical therapist and dance medicine specialist at Milestone Physical Therapy in Roseville, California. 

When you force a stretch past your limits by pushing it too far or holding the position for too long, Worrall says, you stretch the ligaments surrounding your joints rather than the muscle you’re targeting. This increases joint laxity (or hypermobility) and makes your joints less stable, which can lead to injury.

How Do You Know If You Are Overstretching?

According to board-certified sports physical therapist Leada Malek, author of Science of Stretch, overstretching is more common than you might think. She says she sees people fall victim to the habit in two common scenarios, neither of which involve taking a nap while sitting in a split.

The first is when people assume stretching is the solution for tight-feeling muscle or body pain. “People seek out stretch options to treat something that may need more than that, only to find stretching excessively has not helped or made things worse,” she says.

Medical Consultation

If you are unsure if you should stretch a muscle (especially if you are experiencing pain), consult with your doctor or physical therapist before trying a stretch or exercise.

The second reason people overstretch, which Malek says she sees with increasing frequency, is they get a little over-excited about the benefits of mobility training and neglect a well-rounded fitness plan.

Mobility Trend

“With the latest trend of improving mobility, people seem to hang their hats on stretching more than before as a means of chasing this mobility,” she says. 

Mobility is a key aspect of any training program, but try to pay attention to other areas that can round out your training, including strength and cardiovascular exercise.

What Counts As Overstretching?

The term overstretching can refer to several different stretching mistakes. We can overstretch a muscle when we push it past a healthy length, placing strain on the tissue or one of its attached joints.

Tissue Elasticity

"Overstretching typically means the length of the tissue is greater than one's ability to control said length," says Corinne Croce, DPT, physical therapist and co-founder of Body Evolved. "It can also mean a muscle is stretched past its point of natural elasticity and healthy tissue length."

Hypermobile Joints

She says this can happen more frequently in those with hypermobile joints, which have loose ligaments that allow the joint to move farther than it needs to.

Overstretching could also be about stretching too much time, like if you overdo it with too much Pilates or yoga.

Stretch Frequency

Too much is a subjective phrase. If you’re naturally mobile, you probably don’t need to stretch all that much, according to Harrison. (As a former dancer who used to stretch constantly, she says today she’ll do mobility work as a warmup to hit my end ranges of motion, but no longer works to increase my flexibility.)

If you’re naturally tight, you’ll benefit from stretching more often to balance out your body (but try not to stretch cold muscles).

What Happens When You Overstretch?

Proper stretching brings blood flow to the muscles, lengthening them without irritating them. But pushing your body into a range of motion it’s not prepared to handle or holding it for too long can cause the same kinds of microtears in the muscles that can happen after a tough workout.

“It’s tissue tolerance,” says Harrison. “It's the same as if we do a lot of strength work that maybe we hadn't been doing.” When our body works to repair those tears, says Dr. Mehta, it can create inflammation that leads to aches and soreness the next day.

“Frequently people won't even recognize why they feel that way—they may have felt like they over worked out when they actually might have overstretched.”

Overstretch Injury

(Though, know that if you’re sore after a yoga class, that could be from the strength challenge of hitting and holding the poses, not necessarily from the stretches.)

Although overstretching is unlikely to lead to injury unless you ignore all your body’s pain signals, Harrison says you could irritate an existing issue if you’re stretching near a joint that is already hypermobile.

What Are the Dangers of Overstretching?

Here are a few of the dangers you could encounter by overstretching:

Hyperextend Joints

Your joints become hypermobile when they can extend far beyond their normal range of motion too easily. Some people already have hypermobility in their joints, which you may recognize as double-jointed. 

Although it’s not always a threat, people with hyperextended joints can suffer from unfortunate side effects like: 
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• Recurrent injuries
• Frequently dislocated joints
• Pain or stiffness
• Fatigue
• Clicking joints
• Digestive problems
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Your Muscles Will Look Lax

Your ligaments become too loose if you overstretch, leading to looser joints. The ligaments that secure major joints like your hips and knees will not bounce back in shape after being overstretched. As a result, your muscles and skin will appear thin and stretchy rather than toned.

You Could Risk Tears

Overstretched muscles and unstable tissues in a joint can increase your risk of getting microscopic or complete tears. 

Too loose muscles allow your joints to move freely, and the increased range of motion will put too much stress on them. When the muscle doesn’t support your joints, you significantly increase your risk of an injury.

You’re at an Increased Risk of Arthritis

The long-term danger of overstretching is an increased risk of developing arthritis. This happens because of the wear and tear on the cartilage, the tough and flexible tissue that covers the joints’ surface. Damaged cartilage can cause:
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• Joint pain
• Swelling
• Stiffness
  ‍

It Impairs Your Physical Performance

If you’re an athlete with overstretched muscles, it can harm on your performance. Over time, you’ll no longer be able to make smooth movements, and your reaction time will decrease. As a result, your body will use up more energy to try and compensate.

Is Stretching As Important As Everyone Says?

Stretching to Prevent Injury Have you heard some people say stretching can prevent you from ever getting injured? That’s not entirely true! Stretching improves your flexibility and range of motion, which can be beneficial for specific activities and counterproductive for others. 

While stretching does not necessarily prevent an injury, it can decrease your risk of one by increasing your proprioceptors’ tolerance for motion and eliminating pain.

Discomfort When Stretching

We’ve said it before and’ll say it again: If a stretch becomes painful, you’re going too far! You should feel a gentle pull while holding a stretch, and your flexibility and range of motion will increase gradually the more often you do it. 

You never want to feel discomfort when you stretch. Otherwise, you could:
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• Overstretch your muscle
• Possibly hurt yourself
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Where Overstretching Is Most Common

People are most likely to overdo it with their hamstrings. “I find that a lot of folks who come in with pain in the back of their thigh automatically assume that their hamstring is tight, and they do tons of static forward folds,” she says. 

But that pain could stem from the back or the sciatic nerve, in which she says stretching could worsen the problem. 

Hamstring Overstretch

Dr. Mehta adds that it’s easy to overstretch the hamstrings because they’re bigger muscles, so you can push them further. But, she adds, “As an orthopedic surgeon, I'm coaching my patients to pay attention to the smaller muscles, like the rotator cuff.” Those smaller muscles are more likely to get overlooked and need attention. 

Symptoms of Overstretching

While you should feel a bit of tension in the muscle when you stretch, pain is a sign that you’ve gone too far. “I think a lot of people are like ‘go big or go home’ with everything in the gym, and stretching can be one of those things where they feel like they need to have this very intense sensation, but that’s not the case,” says Harrison.

Austin Martinez, MS, CSCS, ATC, vice president of training and experience at StretchLab, previously told Well+Good that some common signs you might be pushing too deep include:
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• Holding your breath
• Squirming
• Nerve pain
• Sharp pains in the muscle
• Shaking
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Stretch Intensity

Think about your stretch intensity level on a scale of 0 (no stretch) to 10 (pain).

"For larger muscles, such as hamstrings, quadriceps, and glutes, aim for a 5 to 7 stretch," he says. "For small muscles, such as wrists and neck, aim for a 3 to 5 stretch. Your aiming point on the scale will start to lower as your body adapts to stretching." 

Vulnerability Indicator

Croce says you may also be overstretching if a certain move makes you feel vulnerable. If you feel that if you take one wrong step or movement, something will go wrong, you're likely stretching too far.

As for how long to hold a static stretch, Harrison says it only takes 30 to 60 seconds to get that muscle-lengthening effect. 

Stretch Duration

She points out that some research suggests that older adults can benefit from holding stretches on the longer side of that range since our muscles become less elastic over time. But holding for longer than a minute is unlikely to offer additional benefits.

How To Overcome An Overstretching Injury

If your muscles are screaming the day after stretching too much, you might be tempted to stay in bed. But it’s more helpful to get moving; just be gentle with yourself.

“I wouldn't do the same stretches again, and I wouldn't do the hardest workout you've ever done, but some general walking and some light strength training,” suggests Harrison. 

Dynamic Stretches

Dr. Mehta also recommends doing some easy dynamic stretches that you hold for only a few seconds at most. “Motion is the lotion for the joints and for the muscles,” she says. 

“The last thing you want to do is be sedentary. That will make everything much more stiff.” She adds that using some ice and heat can also help your muscles feel better faster. 

A Better Approach to Stretching

Rather than spending minutes at a time on certain stretches, or pushing your body into positions that don’t feel good, Dr. Harrison says it’s essential to balance out your time at the gym.

“If you're just stretching and stretching, but never strengthening into that new range of motion that you've acquired, it's unlikely that that range of motion will be maintained over the long term,” she says. 

Hamstring Exercise

She uses the hamstrings as an example: After all those forward folds that you practice to touch your toes, try doing some Romanian deadlifts or deadlifts from the floor so that you contract the hamstring in that lengthened position.

Mobility and stability drills can also increase flexibility control. Croce says controlled articular rotations (CARS) are excellent mobility drills. 

Stretching Guidance

If you’re not sure how to start an appropriate stretching routine, working with a personal trainer or visiting a stretching studio can help you find some of the best stretches for your body (and give you a sense of what an appropriate stretch really feels like).

“Listen to your body, and feel where you’re hitting that resistance,” says Dr. Mehta. When your muscles yell, “enough!" back off.

What Should You Do If You Overstretch?

Resting the affected muscle is key to recovery. This means taking a break from any activities that make it hurt, including stretching. "Your overstretched muscle needs time to heal and regain its strength, so you want to give it time to do so," says Malek. 

"Move within your abilities, perhaps engage in manageable strength training, and opt not to spend time stretching that same tissue again beyond a gentle stretch if desired and safe."

Use RICE to Lower Pain and Swelling

While Malek says it’s unlikely you’ll need to immobilize the muscles or joints you overstretched, if you are feeling acute pain that is impacting your ability to move, research supports using the RICE protocol for recovery: 
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• Rest
• Ice
• Compression
• Elevation
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Consider Seeing a Physical Therapist

“First and foremost, always seek help from a physical therapist or other rehab professional,” says Malek. They can assess your injury, rule out any serious damage, and help you recover safely.

Don’t Forget About Long-Term Care

In addition to addressing any immediate issues after an overstretching incident, it’s also essential to consider long-term care. “Once you’re feeling better, it can be beneficial to perform targeted exercises to help strengthen the affected muscles and improve their flexibility,” Malek explains. 

“This can help reduce the chance of a future injury.” If you do see a physical therapist, they can guide you on the appropriate rehab exercises to perform.

Related Reading

‍

• Golf Mobility Exercises
• Upper Body Mobility Exercises
• Mobility Exercises For Runners
• Can You Over Stretch
• Squat Mobility Exercises
• Functional Mobility Exercises
• Why Stretching Is Important
• Foot Mobility Exercises
• Arm Mobility Exercises
• Hamstring Mobility Exercises
• Elbow Mobility Exercises
• Rotator Cuff Mobility Exercises
• Bed Mobility Exercises
  
• What Are Mobility Exercises
  
• Full Body Mobility Exercises

Should You Avoid Any Types of Stretches?

Gone are the days when a preworkout stretch performed on cold muscles was considered an injury-prevention tool. “Older research in the ‘90s suggested that, in short, stretching could be performed during a warmup procedure to reduce the risk of injury. Newer literature suggests that neither static nor dynamic stretching has a direct correlation in regards to injury prevention,” says Joshua Tebangin, P.T., D.P.T., at Providence Saint John’s Health Center’s Performance Therapy in Santa Monica, California.

Performance Impact

Holding a static stretch (like bending over to touch your toes for 30 to 60 seconds) could hinder performance when it comes to exercises requiring:
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• Power
• Speed
• Strength
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“New research has shown that static stretching will deactivate the muscle for 10 to 15 minutes,” says Tanneberg. That means if you’re running and you need to sprint to pass a competitor, you may not have the level of power you would typically have if you hadn’t fit in that pre-competition static stretch.

Stretch Comfort

That doesn’t mean you should skip stretching altogether, though. It just means the approach to pre and postworkout stretching should be slightly different. Sometimes stretching can feel uncomfortable (especially if you are less flexible), but you shouldn't be truly in pain while stretching. 

Pain is one sign that a stretch is not right for you or is too intense, but there are also specific stretches or stretching habits that you should always avoid, whether they cause you pain or not. Read below for stretching dos and don'ts from two certified trainers and fitness experts. 

Don't Stretch Cold Muscles

"Stretching helps you avoid injury, increase range of motion, decrease muscle stiffness and release tension throughout the body," says ShaNay Norvell, certified trainer and author of Stretch Your Stress Away with ShaNay. 

Timing is essential since there are better ideas than stretching cold muscles, which need to be warmed up properly. Regarding stretching, cold muscles are considered risky since "you can strain, pull or tear a muscle if forced into a stretch without being warmed up," says Norvell.

Warm Muscle Stretch

She likes to compare stretching cold muscles to a frozen rubber band. "That rubber band, if immediately pulled or tugged, could snap or break. If a rubber band is warm, it can be tugged or pulled and move with greater ease. The rubber band would still have limits, but it would have a greater range of motion warm," she explains. 

"At a minimum I would recommend clients do a 7- to 10-minute walk on a treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike" before stretching, Norvell says. A walking lunge stretch is one example of a dynamic stretch you can do once you're warmed up.

Do Try Dynamic Stretches

Norvell recommends dynamic stretches that you do in motion, at the beginning of your workout (after the warmup). "These stretches will typically be to prepare you for your movements in your workout," says Norvell. 

One of the benefits of dynamic stretches is that they are more controlled movements that "don't force the body beyond its range of motion using bouncy movement," says Heather Marr, certified trainer. Examples of dynamic stretches include arm circles, walking lunges and leg swings, according to Marr.

Don't Do Ballistic Stretches

Ballistic stretches use "rapid, jerky repetitive movements to produce a fast, high degree of tension inside the muscle," says Marr. She doesn't recommend them for most people because they can be forceful and require pushing past one's own range of motion, which can lead to muscle or tendon injuries. 

"Examples of common ballistic stretches include bobbing up and down to touch your toes, the ballistic butterfly stretch and the [ballistic] trunk lifter. I don't recommend any of these stretches for the average person," says Marr. How you do these stretches is key since both the butterfly and trunk lift can be done safely as a static motion instead of as ballistic movement.

Do Static Stretches After Your Workout

Static stretches are stretches that you hold for some time, while the muscle is extended, says Marr. Examples of static stretches include an overhead tricep stretch, a wall bicep stretch and a stacked-leg glute stretch. "I would recommend [holding the stretches for] 20 to 30 seconds," says Norvell. 

You should do static stretches when your body is warmed up, ideally at the end of your workout. "The end of the workout is a great time to stretch because typically your muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments throughout your body are warmed and ready for safe movement," she says.

The 3 Stretches You Should Probably Avoid 

While everyone is different, the stretches shown below are examples of moves that trainers advise most people to avoid due to potential pain or injury risk.

Split Stretch

A group of young women doing a side split stretch. Even if you've been able to do a split in the past, Norvell doesn't suggest trying to jump back into it. "Many people have fond memories of being flexible and doing the splits with ease," she says.  

Just because you had that flexibility and range of motion at one time doesn't mean that you necessarily kept or will keep it. "There are some people who will try to go into a split just to see where their flexibility is. This is still dangerous without warming up thoroughly," says Norvell. 

Straddle Stretch

The straddle stretch is difficult for beginners and can injure you if your body is not ready. 

The same logic applies to a split stretch as it does to a straddle stretch. "This stretch puts both the groin, hip flexors, and all inner thigh muscles in position to tighten and protect themselves if your body isn't ready. This can leave you in a worse position than when you started," says Norvell.

Hurdler Stretch

Norvell says the hurdler stretch should be saved for people preparing for a hurdler race. Outside of that, she says the stretch can be dangerous. "I have seen gym members over the years or people preparing to run in the park lay down in the hurdler position. This is typically one leg forward and one leg bent backward. This is dangerous if your knee and hips are not properly aligned and can cause severe muscle strain," she explains.

Norvell's Recommended Stretches to Do Instead of the Ones Above

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• Forward spine stretch
• Seated inner thigh straddle stretch
• Seated hamstring stretch
  ‍

Pliability Benefits

If you're feeling limited by pain or your ability to move, Pliability aims to complement your fitness routine and help you move better. 

Sign up today for 7 days absolutely for free on iPhone, iPad, Android, or our website to improve flexibility, aid recovery, reduce pain, and enhance range of motion with our mobility app.

7 Stretching Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Ever Skip Warm Ups? You’re Setting Yourself Up for an Injury. 

Stretching might seem like a good warm up before exercising, but your body needs to warm up before stretching. Think about it:
‍

• When you stretch cold muscles
• You increase your risk of injury
  ‍

Just like a car engine needs to warm up before you drive off, your muscles need to warm up before you stretch them.

Dynamic Warm-up

Dynamic stretching is an excellent way to warm up for your workout, but you should start with light aerobic activity first. Jog in place, do some jumping jacks, or take a brisk walk to prepare your muscles for stretching and more intense exercise. The goal of your warm-up is to raise your heart and respiratory rates enough to increase blood flow. 

This activity will loosen the muscles, increasing the benefits of stretching and helping you avoid injury caused by a cold stretch.

2. Are You Using the Right Stretching Techniques?

Another mistake many make when stretching is doing the wrong type of stretch at the wrong time. There are multiple styles of stretching. 

Choosing the correct one for your fitness level and the activity you plan to engage in will help you avoid injury during your stretch and workout.

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic stretching involves moving through your entire range of motion without holding an end position. Dynamic stretching uses moving stretches to mimic movements you perform during your workout. 

Moving through dynamic stretches as part of your warm-up can help prepare joints and muscles for static stretching.

​​Static Stretches

When they hear the word “stretch, " most people think of static stretching. Static stretching is performed by lengthening a specific muscle until you feel tension, then holding that position. It is best to perform static stretches after a workout to help relieve muscle fatigue and decrease recovery time.

3. Are You Overstretching Your Muscles?

Stretching should never be painful. Exerting too much energy or going too deep into a stretch can result in a torn muscle. Slowly ease into your stretches. You may feel slightly uncomfortable during a stretch, but it should never hurt. 

Don’t push your body past its limits; always stay in your natural range of motion. If you notice tightness in one muscle area, repeat your stretches multiple times without pushing too hard.

4. Are You Bouncing When You Stretch?

When done too vigorously, bouncing while stretching can lead to a pulled muscle. This ballistic motion can trigger the muscle to tighten to protect itself, defeating the purpose of the stretch. 

Bouncing while stretching can also cause you to stretch too deeply. Instead of bouncing, gradually elongate into the stretch. Hold the stretch for 10 to 15 seconds, release and repeat. You may also practice dynamic stretching, moving through your full range of motion, rather than bouncing.

5. Do You Stretch Often Enough? 

Stretching is important for everyone! The goal of stretching for the average person is to maintain flexibility and mobility in your joints and muscles. Not stretching enough can cause your muscles to shorten, thereby:
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• Limiting movement 
• Increasing stiffness and discomfort
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Adding moderate stretching to your daily routine helps you move easily and reduces chronic pain. Proper stretching is essential for athletes to prevent injuries and perform at their highest level.

6. Are You Breathing While Stretching? 

Believe it or not, conscious breathing makes stretching more effective. Many people unintentionally hold their breath while stretching, which can cause muscles to become tense and resistant. 

Conversely, breathing increases blood flow and delivers oxygen to the muscles. By breathing deeply and slowly through the nose while stretching, your muscles are more likely to relax and become receptive to the stretch.

7. Are You Stretching An Injured Muscle? 

Contrary to popular belief, stretching an injured muscle will not help with pain and can prolong healing. Injured tissues need a break to heal. 

Rest the injury, and apply heat or ice as needed to aid recovery. Once your injury has healed, slowly re-introduce low-intensity stretching of the muscle group back into your routine.

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Overstretching occurs when you push your muscles and joints beyond their limits, leading to damage instead of improvement. Though overstretch sounds simple, it can lead to painful injuries that may prevent your mobility training progress. Understanding the risks of overstretching will help you avoid it and improve your flexibility.

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