Many people are confused about exactly WHEN to stretch, and there’s a lot of conflicting advice out there!
- Is it better to stretch before or after exercise?
- Should I stretch in the morning or at night?
- Should I stretch every day?
So many options means so much confusion… So lets break it down a little.
Stretching for exercise:
Current research shows that static stretching (the type where you hold a stretch and don’t move) before exercise has limited benefits and can actually be involved in weakening muscles. You’re much better off doing dynamic (moving type) stretches here. Bt always make sure you warm up first.
However stretching after exercise is a fantastic reset for the length of your muscle fibres and can help with recovery, soreness and injury prevention.
Time of day:
I will often recommend to patients to stretch before going to sleep at night. This can help you relax, as well as undo a lot of the poor postures, overuse and built up tightness that your muscles have developed across the day.
You can also try and sneak in some stretches during your day – like when you brush your teeth, are in the shower, on hold on the phone and so forth.
Stretching in the morning is also beneficial for your body, but just make sure you warm up first with a hot shower and a bit of movement. Cold muscles do not like to be stretched!
Frequency of stretching:
To make lasting changes to your muscles, you should stretch 1-2 times a day to address an injury. For general, feelgood stretching, once a day is fine. You can certainly overstretch, so don’t go stretching a muscle 15 times a day! It won’t like it at all!
However…
The most important piece of advice… just stretch!
Don’t overthink it. I see so many people not stretching because they’re unsure about it or someone has given them a confusing opinion. But for the vast majority of us, a gentle stretch whenever and wherever we remember is a lot better than the alternative – not stretching at all.
If you have any specific questions about WHEN to stretch, or would like to know more about all the above, just ask me next time you’re in the clinic.
Coming up soon will be a new post : HOW to Stretch!