Stretching out the truth

There are some people out there that claim if you stretch as much as Elastigirl, you’ll never face another problem in your athletic and training career. You may as well be immortal the way some people glorify it. But does the research back up the claims that many people make about stretching?

Let's unpack four of the most common claims I’ve heard specifically about static stretching (opposed to dynamic stretching or PNF stretching). The four claims are:

1. It improves performance

2. It reduces soreness

3. It improves recovery

4. It reduces the risk of injury

So let’s take off our supersuits for a minute and review the evidence.

1. Does static stretching improve performance?

There aren't clear results pointing to an improvement in performance after static stretching. If anything, static stretching immediately before strength and power based activity is detrimental. Although, these negative effects are quickly counteracted with an active warm up or some dynamic stretching.

2. Does static stretching reduce soreness?

There isn’t any strong evidence that stretching actually reduces muscle soreness at any time point, from 24, to 48, to 72 hours. Some stretching may help you temporarily regain some range of motion if you are particularly stiff, but it won’t make you feel less sore, and it isn’t a long lasting effect.

3. Does static stretching improve recovery?

Again, there’s no evidence that stretching after a workout actually helps you recover faster. If you were to complete another workout within a short period of time, stretching after the first session is not helping you perform better in the subsequent session.

4. Does static stretching reduce the risk of injury?

There is really mixed evidence as to whether static stretching reduces the risk of injury. When large collections of studies are reviewed, there seems to be no indication that stretching will actually reduce injury risk. There are some select studies that have reported reductions in soft tissue injuries with a stretching protocol, but the general trend is that stretching does not help you avoid injuries.

Overall, static stretching lacks strong evidence that it does all the things that people claim it does. You could potentially use your time more efficiently to work on some more technical aspects of your training, or a more general warm up with some dynamic stretching to increase your heart rate and blood flow. Despite this, I do think there are some benefits to static stretching.

1. It feels good.

2. It’s an opportunity to reflect or prepare for your match, competition, or workout.

3. If in a team setting, it’s a chance to unwind with your team mates and enter a more relaxed state.

If you enjoy static stretching for these reasons, you can at least be safe in the knowledge that it’s not worse than doing nothing. But, it is worth considering if you can use your time more effectively around your training and competition if you really want to gain a competitive advantage.