To Stretch or Not to Stretch

I apologize for the length of time between blog posts. I spent most of June traveling and have been busy with summer classes this past month. One of the places I went in June was to Philadelphia, PA, for the National Athletic Trainers Association annual meeting and symposium. I did a presentation on some of my ankle research and got to hear many presentations from leaders in our field. One of the talks was on stretching. There is debate in the scientific field and athletic community about the importance of stretching, when you should stretch, how much you should stretch, etc. The big questions are: does stretching improve or hinder performance, and what is the effect of stretching on injuries? I'll go through the questions now with my opinion and what was discussed at the conference.

1) What is the effect of stretching on performance? Most athletes do some type of stretching before practice or a game. There has been some debate in the literature about whether or not stretching right before a competition, especially one involving speed, will hinder performance. Basically, one theory is that stretching will make you slower. There is some evidence to support this, and some evidence that does not. The panel said that there is not enough evidence yet to support either theory, but that for most athletes, a dynamic stretching routine (one where the body is moving) is preferred over static (being still and holding a position) before practice or a game.

2) What is the effect of stretching on injuries? Another question is whether or not increasing flexibility will reduce or limit the potential for injuries. Again, there is not enough research to support the notion that increased flexibility will reduce the number of injuries. It has been established that you lose flexibility after an injury, and that regaining this flexibility is a key component of the rehabilitation program. It is also known that flexibility imbalances between the extremities, just like strength imbalances, may lead to injury. But, for example, there is no concrete evidence that says if you do not have this amount of hamstring flexibility, you are more prone to a hamstring strain.

So, to sum this up and give you my opinion, stretching and flexibility should be an important component of any exercise or rehabilitation routine. I think it is better to do more dynamic stretches before you exercise, practice, or compete, and static stretching should be done after a workout or if the goal is to increase range of motion. There is research to support that tight hamstrings and hip extensors can lead to low back pain, so it is essential to stretch these muscles. Until more research is conducted, the other questions cannot be answered.