We’re excited to bring you this guest article by Victor Popov, one of Australia’s most respected Sports and Exercise Physiotherapists. Victor shares on stretching- what works, what doesn’t, and when to do it.
To Stretch or Not to Stretch - Insights from Victor Popov
A few of you reading this will be old enough to get the Shakespeare reference; others not so much…
Let’s delve into the question of stretching around exercise and examine the ‘why’s and wherefores’ of stretching to give some direction and perspective so you can best advise your clients regarding this (at times) controversial fitness element.
There have been plenty of research articles about how stretching can affect performance (positively or negatively) and how it may or may not reduce injury risk. In this article, I’ll share my perspective on when and how to stretch around exercise.
What are you Stretching?
Depending on how you execute stretches, you can be stretching muscle, fascia, joints and nerves: or most commonly a combination of these structures as they are not ‘discreet’ or separate entities. Stretching to improve joint range of motion can in my view definitely reduce injury risk, as good joint ROM is important in most physical activities. As an example, poor ankle dorsiflexion range can contribute to calf strains, shin splints and knee issues in running activities. It also can lead to excessive pronation and foot problems such as plantar-fasciitis. Dorsiflexion can be limited by ankle joint stiffness, calf muscle tightness or posterior chain fascial or nerve tightness.
When I give someone a program to improve ‘hamstring length’ – typically this leads to an improvement in their straight leg raise test- I will always give muscle, fascia and nerve stretches.
Ideally if you can identify which structure is limiting the range, you can focus on stretching that structure. Doing a typical ‘grab your ankle and pull your foot to your butt’ quad stretch can be stretching the knee joint or the quad, and by dropping your chin to your chest during the stretch you can add a femoral nerve stretch component. The lesson is to understand what you are stretching and adjust position and load accordingly, as the various structures respond better to different types of stretching technique.
How are you Stretching?
As a generalisation, muscles and fascia respond to both static and dynamic stretches, joints respond to long slower holds or repeated oscillating movement, and nerves like to be gently oscillated in and out of end of range. All tissues tend to respond to stretching better when warm, either via an active warm-up or ‘passive’ heat such as sauna or hot bath.
To effectively stretch a muscle, you need to understand its origin and insertion (think back to your Cert III anatomy!). A muscle is lengthened by increasing the distance between these two attachment points. This is especially important for muscles that attach to the shoulder blade or pelvis because their length is heavily influenced by the position of these structures. For example, an anterior or posterior pelvic tilt, or a protracted, retracted, or depressed shoulder blade, can change how a stretch feels or how effective it is. Keep this in mind and consider the position of these two structures when teaching stretches for the glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, or pectorals—adjusting the pelvis or scapula may be essential for achieving a proper stretch.
There has been research to suggest static muscle stretches prior to power activities can inhibit or reduce muscle activation, so using dynamic stretches as a pre-sport or pre-performance load is more appropriate if you want better muscle power output. Most sports teams in a pre-game warm-up will focus on dynamic stretches for this reason. Post-game or post-training stretching to relax or wind down/warm down should in my view be more static and utilise long slow holds to deactivate muscle tension.
Yoga classes or practice will generally stretch a combination of joint, muscle and fascia and utilise breathing techniques to facilitate better ROM, and the concept of using breathing while stretching is important. In a previous article, I describe how using the outbreath to facilitate stretching is helpful as breathing out is a ‘parasympathetic’ driver- it facilitates the ‘rest and digest’ system and helps the muscles to ‘let go’. In fact, rather than advising clients hold a static stretch for a period of time, I suggest they hold it for a number of breaths: usually 5 with a focus on a long slow outbreath.
When are you Stretching?
As a routine, I will typically give a client gentle joint mobility exercises after a warm-up, then focus on specific muscle stretches before a dynamic stretching routine pre-workout or pre-game. That flow of joint then muscle then combined muscle/fascia/nerve stretching is my typical pre-activity process. Post activity I tend to give longer, slower breath driven stretches. For someone chasing big gains in range or flexibility I will also recommend an evening stretching session with yoga-type moves and breathing before bed. Usually I stay away from early morning muscle or nerve stretching as it is much less effective after lying still for a few hours, but some people need a gentle joint mobility routine to get going in the morning.
In Summary
I consider stretching to be a useful and integral part of any fitness program, but stretching should ideally be individualised and structured around activity or exercise. Different stretches are used for different structures, and generally, all stretches are more effective when the body is warm. Dynamic stretches pre-activity are best for performance and muscle activation, and static stretches or gentle mobility stretches post-activity are best to gain range. So the answer to the question of stretching or not is YES.
About the Author, Victor Popov
Victor Popov is one of Australia’s leading sports physiotherapists, heavily involved in elite sport both domestically and internationally, with many clients who are World and Olympic champions.
His professional achievements include:
- Worked at 4 Olympic Games, multiple World Championships, and Tour de France events
- Establishment and management of successful Sports Medicine clinics in Australia
- Consultation for AIS, QAS, NSWIS, and international teams such as British Swimming and Cycling
- Awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000
Victor is the Co-founder of NETT Global and author of Onfit Training College’s partnership courses NETT Foundations and NETT Advanced.