No Benefit of Stretching to Speed Recovery or Prevent Injury

A common question in clinical practice is; "What stretches should I do to recover from my injury". As we were growing up, we often lined up to stretch before and after our activities at school. So, in an effort to "do something", patients will often be motivated to do some stretches to get rid of those pesky aches and pains from a workout. But, the fact is; Stretching before or after a workout, does NOT reduce the risk of injury or, help you recover from an injury. 

Any analysis of static stretching shows that the resulting increased range of motion from stretching is temporary and does not contribute to any meaningful improvements to joint mechanics or mobility. In fact, if you or someone you know suffer from "tight hamstrings", the underlying cause of that is poor hip, knee or lower back stability. Understanding this concept can be an important difference between a long and enjoyable career in your sport or a frustrating time spent on the sidelines. 

Every joint of the body is controlled by muscles that, ideally, are perfectly balanced and work along with ligaments to provide stability, balance and coordination of movement. From overuse, excessive loads and strains, the joints can become damaged. Ligaments, tendons and cartilage can become worn down, frayed and torn. To protect the joints from further damage, the body will reduce the range of motion of the affected joints as a protection from further damage. The primary way to reduce joint range of motion is to shorten the muscles responsible for the mobility and movement of that joint. 

In an effort to stretch those tight hamstrings, you are actually working against the innate efforts of the body to protect you from further damage. This will ultimately leave you more susceptible to more joint damage and injury. 

So, what's the best way to recover and prevent injury?

The nature of most sports activities only require limited joint movements repeated over and over.A key component to understand is the fact that most soft tissue injuries occur at an end range of motion.Think of the runner that has a very short range of motion on each stride. Then, to gain a sudden burst of speed, they over-stride and strain their hamstring. Or, the tennis player that stretches out to reach a shot and strains their back. Or, the golfer that tries to hit a drive a little further. 

So, how can you protect yourself from one of these injuries?

Incorporating dynamic mobility movements like yoga are excellent ways to prepare the body and recover from physical activities. The benefit of dynamic mobility movements and exercises is the low impact and controlled muscle coordination and activation at joint end range of motion. This increases the strength, stability and coordination of the muscle/joint complex at the joints most vulnerable positions. In addition, adding in functional movements for the core, shoulder, knee and hips also pay big dividends. Programs like the Advanced Upper Body Stability and Advanced Lower Body Stability will give you the tools you need to prevent and recover from injury.