Hello all Ian here,
So as I said, I was going to cover proper stretching techniques today. Now, I need to preface this first by saying that this is from a study performed by Bill Holcomb, PhD, professor of athletic training at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who has studied the effects of stretching for many years. The opinions and descriptions in this article are not the expressed and sole views of Robbins’ Rehabilitation. Now, having said that let’s begin.
Let’s pretend together that we are about to go for a run. I have my new running shoes laced up perfectly, you are going through a “standard” routine of stretching; which includes a quick 10 second hamstring stretch per leg then a few reps on calf stretching. Ready for your run??? NO NO NO. According to Bill Holcomb (as listed above.)
“First of all,” Holcomb says, “you should never stretch a cold muscle in any way. And doing static stretches — meaning the kind where you hold the stretch before a workout or competition — may decrease your strength, power, and performance.”
Holcomb says previous studies had shown this effect, too, but had only looked at muscle stretching for eight to 30 minutes — far longer than any weekend warrior would normally do. His team’s recent study, which appeared in the September 2008 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, had participants do hamstring and quadriceps stretches for 90 seconds each, a more reality-based approach.
Surprise: the static stretches still significantly reduced the participants’ power. The ballistic stretches (the kind we were warned not to do in gym class as kids, where you bounce during the stretch) also caused a decrease in power, but slightly less so than the static stretches.
This news may be more important for competitive athletes than for amateur fitness buffs, and some other research even disputes it. While more studies are needed, Holcomb says, some consensus is emerging on proper stretching techniques.
(7 things you should know about proper stretching techniques)
1) Always warm up first– To get maximum range of motion and to avoid injuries, stretch, but please never stretch cold muscle. Holcomb recommends brisk walking or slow jogging for about five minutes, rather than stretching before exercise. “Warming up increases blood flow, which increases the temperature in the muscle, which makes the collagen fibers more elastic like a rubber band,” he explains.
2) After you’re warm, try DYNAMIC stretches, not STATIC- Dynamic stretching means slow, controlled movements rather than remaining still and holding a stretch. They may include simple movements like arm circles and hip rotations, or flowing movements as in yoga. While studies have not clearly proven this, increasing numbers of experts agree that dynamic stretching is the best stretching routine before a workout or competition. Be careful though here, folks. Improper techniques can lead to injury as well. Like I mentioned, stretching is an art. Best learned with your PT at Robbins’ rehab, or with a proper instructor before you go off and do this type of stretching yourself.
3) Consider yoga- “Isn’t it interesting that this new research is figuring out what yoga teachers have known for thousands of years?” says Mary Pullig Schatz, MD, a retired surgical pathologist, yoga expert, and author of Back Care Basics. If you’re familiar with yoga basics, she suggests, you can use those moves as dynamic stretches before, say, a run or a long bike ride. Try two minutes of sun salutations to stretch multiple parts of the body. Or make downward-facing dog dynamic by pedaling your feel or lifting alternate legs.
“Improving your flexibility allows you to put your body in good ergonomic alignment,” Schatz says. “Yoga can help you combine flexibility and strength, breathe properly, reduce head, neck, and back pain, and put the body back in balance.”
4) After your workout or competition, then do static stretches– “Too many people do static stretching before and then nothing after,” says Holcomb. “That’s the most common mistake I see.” This is where you’ll lengthen muscles and improve your flexibility. Hold static stretches for about 30 seconds.
5) Learn warm-ups and stretches particular to your sport- Levine’s team takes care of 29 varsity teams, so he’s seen every kind of sports injury there is.
“For example, football linemen are vulnerable to shoulder tears,” he says. “Runners may suffer knee problems and shin splints. For golfers, the lower back is often the hot spot.”
New research shows it’s a good move to learn stretching routines customized for your sport and to help prevent the injuries most common to it. The Santa Monica Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Research Foundation in California studied women soccer players who are subject to ACL tears and created a program called Prevent Injury and Enhance Performance (PEP). The program includes a warm-up and stretches (as well as strengthening and agility exercises) specifically designed to prevent ACL injuries.
6) Never stretch to the point of pain– Forget the phrase “no pain, no gain. “You do not want pain when you’re doing dynamic stretching,” says Holcomb. “It should be gentle to start and then progress.” When you’re doing your static stretching afterward, you should go to the point of slight discomfort and intensity, he says, to improve your flexibility. But if you’re making a face, your muscle is contracting to protect itself, which is counterproductive.
7) Stretch to de-stress– These are stressed-out times, and stretching can help. “As you know, your mind affects your body, and your body affects your mind,” says Dean Ornish, MD, founder of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, Calif., and author of The Spectrum. “During times of emotional stress, the muscles in your body contract. This is an adaptive response to acute stress, as it fortifies your ‘body armor’ so that in times of danger, if you get hit, for example, your muscles help to protect you.
“However, in times of chronic stress, these same mechanisms that have evolved to protect us can create problems — chronically tensed muscles, especially those in the back and neck, predispose to chronic pain or injury. Thus, stress management techniques can help prevent this. Also, gentle stretching of chronically tensed muscles provide relaxation to the mind as well as the body.”
So there you have it folks. A brief 7 pointer to help us understand the new ideas out there regarding stretching, and in turn understanding how to have a happier, better feeling YOU. I hope this was insightful for ya, and will see you here next week.
Thank you,
Ian G of Robbins’ PT
