Stretching: benefits, myths and how to do it right
Physical Activity
Key points
- Stretching improves range of motion.
- Static stretching under 60 seconds per muscle has little effect on performance; longer holds may reduce it temporarily.
- Overall, stretching does little to prevent injuries, but it may reduce muscle strains in running sports.
- Do a dynamic warm-up before exercise and static stretching afterward.
What the research shows
A systematic review by Behm and colleagues concluded that static stretching of 60 seconds or less per muscle group has little effect on strength, power or speed, while longer stretching can reduce performance temporarily. Including a dynamic warm-up helps offset these effects. Stretching had little overall effect on injury risk but may reduce muscle strain injuries in activities with sprinting (Behm et al., 2016).
Flexibility and aging
Flexibility declines with age, which can make daily tasks harder. Balance and functional exercise programs lower falls in older adults (Sherrington et al., 2019), and flexibility work can be part of them. The guidelines also stress muscle strengthening for all adults (Bull et al., 2020).
How to do it
- Before exercise: 5 to 10 minutes of dynamic movement: arm circles, leg swings, walking lunges, light jogging.
- After exercise or separately: static stretches for the main muscle groups, 10 to 30 seconds each, without bouncing or pain.
- Breathe slowly and relax into the stretch.
Frequently asked questions
Should I stretch before running?
A dynamic warm-up (leg swings, walking lunges, easy jogging) is better than long static holds right before running.
How long should I hold a stretch?
The American College of Sports Medicine suggests holding static stretches for 10 to 30 seconds, repeated 2 to 4 times, at least 2 to 3 days a week.
Sources
- Behm et al. (2016). Acute effects of muscle stretching on physical performance, range of motion, and injury incidence in healthy active individuals: a systematic review. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism 41(1):1-11. doi:10.1139/apnm-2015-0235
- Bull et al. (2020). World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British Journal of Sports Medicine 54(24):1451-1462. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955
- Sherrington et al. (2019). Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2019(1). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012424.pub2
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