Getting Loose

Stretch to relieve tight muscles and get life-long benefits

By Erica K. Perkins, Health & Fitness Director, University of Virginia

Stretching helps you achieve, or maintain, a full range of motion in each of your joints. Why is this important? It enables you to live a fully functional life. The safest and most effective time to stretch is when your body is warm. However, the “warm-up” and “stretching” portion of a workout are often confused. Here, I’ll sort it out. 

Begin a workout with a warm-up

This will raise the temperature of your blood, muscles, tendons and ligaments. A warm-up is to prepare your body for physical activity, not to increase the flexibility of your muscles. Five to 10 minutes of low-intensity stationary cycling, walking, jogging (or any movements that mimic your higher-intensity workout) will increase core body temperature and best prepare your body for exercise – including resistance training.  

After warming up, it’s time to stretch

Take each joint through its fullest range of motion in a slow and controlled manner. Remember, this is not necessary to increase performance or decrease risk of injury during your exercise session. 

If stretching first is a habit you prefer to continue, then opt for dynamic stretching. This uses muscular effort to move muscles and joints through their fullest range of motion. A walking lunge, for example, is a dynamic stretch for the hip flexor muscles. Held stretches are most helpful, and least harmful, if done after your workout. 

Get long-term benefits

Even though studies are showing that stretching prior to a workout does not yield many short-term benefits, flexibility training on a weekly basis does provide long- term benefits by preventing:

• muscular imbalances
• postural deviations and
• loss of motor function.   

How often to stretch

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends flexibility training a minimum of 2 to 3 days per week. Hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds to mild discomfort; 3 to 4 repetitions per stretch. Holding a stretch refers to static stretches which take a joint to the range of motion where mild tension or discomfort is felt in the muscle(s) and then it is held at that point. 

Because flexibility is specific to each joint, it is important to stretch all muscles surrounding each joint. Maintaining or improving your flexibility for each muscle may help prevent back and other orthopedic problems in the future. 

When to consult a physician

If you do not have full range of motion in one or more of your joints, be sure to consult with your physician to determine the cause. If you have particularly tight muscles, a current injury or a previous injury, there are other types of stretching programs that may be incorporated, but you should consult with your physician first.