Should We Still Be Using Static Stretching Before Exercise?

Stretching is a crucial part of any sport or exercise, whether you are a serious athlete or just enjoy some fitness every now and again. Stretching helps to warm up your muscles, improving the full range of motion and flexibility across your soft tissues and ligaments. It is thought to lower the risk of suffering an injury, and helps with feelings of muscle soreness after exercise.

But is this true? Does static stretching have the same benefits on the body that we once thought? 

What is Static Stretching?

Stretching is considered ‘static’ when you hold the stretch for an extended period, usually for about 20 seconds or longer. The emphasis is for the stretch to be held at the point you start to feel a stretch, so you do not over-stretch. An example of a static hamstring stretch is to stand up, and while keeping your legs straight, bend your upper body and try to touch your toes.

Benefits of Static Stretching

Static stretching is effective in increasing flexibility, as well as reducing stiffness in muscles and joints, increasing blood flow, and has even been shown to decrease stress! 

Flexibility 

Flexibility is important for the body for many reasons. Increased flexibility will help you move around more easily, and will make everyday tasks easier. Read more about the benefits of maintaining your flexibility here.  

Reducing Stiffness 

Stretching will reduce stiffness in your muscles and joints, providing immediate relief for any tension you may have. When you ease into a static stretching routine, and hold each stretch for a long period of time, you will be able to gradually increase the depth of the stretch over time. 

Increasing Blood Flow 

Stretching may help your muscles recover faster after exercise. There is a lot of evidence to show stretching can improve circulation in target areas.  

Improving Mental Health

Stretching has been shown to improve mental health, in particular, by helping reduce stress. Stress can cause muscles to become tense, leading to tension and sometimes pain. Stretching can release the physical symptoms of stress, and as a result, can help to release mental stress.

While static stretching has a number of benefits, we should also look at dynamic stretching as a potential alternative. 

Dynamic Stretching vs Static Stretching

Dynamic stretching has grown in popularity recently as an alternative to static stretching. This method uses repetitive controlled movements of a muscle group to increase your range of motion and flexibility. For example, swinging your legs back and forth gradually increases the range of movement of your hamstrings.

Examples of dynamic stretching include: 

• Leg swings 
• Arm swings 
• Arm circles
• Walking lunges
• Side lunges

The core distinction between the two is that you are moving when dynamic stretching, as opposed to remaining still when static stretching. This makes dynamic stretching active, while static stretching is stationary.

Benefits of Dynamic Stretching

Warming Up Joints 

Because dynamic stretching moves the body in a way static stretching does not, it is a great way to warm up your muscles and joints. Due to the controlled movement, the temperature of your muscles increases, while increasing the blood flow to the area. This is great before a workout. 

Increasing Range of Motion 

Dynamic stretches use a greater range of motion, particularly around the joints, than common exercises or everyday activities, such as walking or running. It better activates the muscles and warms up the joints than static stretching. 

When Should I Be Using Static Stretching?

Studies have shown that static stretching before exercise may actually negatively impact your performance. It is suggested that it can impair performance and muscle strength, particularly in power-related activities such as powerlifting, sprinting, and sports that involve jumping, such as basketball or football. It has been suggested that static stretching may limit your body’s ability to react quickly. 

Dynamic stretching, on the other hand, has been shown to potentially increase performance and prevent injury, making it a more effective warm-up than static stretching. Here’s a guide for some dynamic stretches you can add to your warm up routine before a run: Warming Up Before You Run. 

Static stretching still provides a number of key benefits to the body, but appears to be a better choice for a cool down after a workout, or in a separate session. There are a number of benefits to both static and dynamic stretching, but there is a time and a place for each. 

Tailored Stretching Programs

When executed correctly, both static and dynamic stretching can have significant benefits for your body, including improved flexibility and recovery. It is important, however, that they are performed correctly, and that you are targeting the muscles that your body needs targeting. 

At City Physiotherapy Adelaide, our physiotherapists will conduct a full analysis of your body, and create a warm-up and cool-down routine with dynamic and static stretches tailored to your body, reducing your risk of injury. For example, if you have really tight hamstrings, warming up your legs and hamstrings in a way that will reduce tightness in your hamstrings, and thus reduce the chance of injury, is imperative. 

Contact City Physio today to discuss how we can help you with injury prevention and tailored exercise and warm-up/cool-down programs.

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