Comments on: Twice As Many Researchers Advise Against Stretching

By: Exercises Stretching Your Running Health Say Researchers

Exercises Stretching Your Running Health Say Researchers — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:47:09 +0000

[...] to this article at Run to Win, twice as many researchers say people should avoid stretching as researchers who recommend [...]

By: Blaine Moore

Blaine Moore — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:52:22 +0000

As far as I know the stretching study is still going on. I think that it is supposed to last for a few years. I’ll see if I can’t find some info out about it…

By: crossn81

crossn81 — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:55:01 +0000

I wonder if there will ever be a true definitive answer to this question.. Have you heard anymore about the USATF stretching study?

By: Wes

Wes — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:07:11 +0000

It seems to me like most of the arguments are against WHY it doesn’t help or seem to help, rather than proving it does not or even hurts. Bah humbug, I say If you like to stretch, stretch. Just do it right!!!

By: Blaine Moore

Blaine Moore — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:14:54 +0000

No, there certainly isn’t just one answer, that’s why I’d be interested to learn which specific studies these quotes are pulled from.

Personally, I always save my stretching for post-workout or their own sessions and avoid stretching before my workouts.

By: pathfinder

pathfinder — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:51:53 +0000

Blaine,

I think the problem here is that there are so many variables…like how many miles you run, how intense the run is, how much rest and the individuals own body.

I find that runs of 3 miles or less don’t require much stretching before or after…unless I am racing then I stretch before but only easy.

After long or intense runs I find that stretching the muscles causes less lameness the next day and it feels good to lengthen them a bit. Almost like they pull and contract after a tough workout.

In the end I think each person must decide what works well for them. I do not think there is only one answer here.

By: middle professor

middle professor — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:30:41 +0000

Here are some of my comments on stretching that I sent to biking friends and some links to the science:

There is no good evidence that stretching prior to activity reduces the risk of injury.
There is some evidence that stretching prior to exercise increases the risk of injury very slightly.
There is some evidence that “warm-ups” * decreases risk of injury very slightly.
There is some evidence that a general stretching routine to increase limberness decreases the risk of injury very slightly.
There is some evidence that a general stretching routine to increase limberness increases the risk of injury very slightly.
There is some evidence that stretching injured structures increases the recovery moderately.
There is good evidence that stretching is fun and feels good, especially in a class with friends and an enthusiastic leader.
There is great evidence that wallets are thinner after such classes : )

* warm-ups are a low intensity activity of the sport that you are about to do with high activity

Some papers on this…

http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/medicine/bmj/sportsmedicine/pdfs/ch3.pdf

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12202327

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10593217

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15495679

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12909434

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16679062

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18027995