Stretching and injury
It's the mantra of the exercise gurus everywhere: Stretch before
you exercise, stretch after you exercise, and you'll avoid injury.
Sounds like good advice, but a growing body of research suggests
it's wrong.
While stretching doesn't seem to be harmful in general, it typically
isn't worth the time or effort, said Dr. Stephen Thacker, co-author
of a new study examining research on stretching.
"It's not so much that stretching will injure you. It's that
it doesn't do anything," he said.
At issue is whether the stated purpose of stretching -- to boost
flexibility, thus reducing the chance of injury -- is ever actually
accomplished. U.S. researchers set out to find the answer by examining
six previous studies that explored the benefits of stretching.
They report their findings in the journal
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.
"What we found was that stretching prior to competition or
other physical activity did not prevent injury," said Thacker,
director of the Epidemiology Program Office at the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention. "We also found that stretching
prior to activity could have a bad effect. You might not jump as
high or run as fast."
Thacker acknowledged his study didn't look at two areas where stretching
might be beneficial -- in the short periods between competitive
events and during physical therapy.
But the time between competitions doesn't have much to do with
typical exercise, he said. "That's not right before you're
going to go run your 5K or play in your basketball game," he
added.
Overall, the researchers said there isn't enough firm evidence
to recommend stretching or fully reject its usefulness.
But they did find plenty of evidence that warming up -- actually
exercising muscles instead of stretching them -- helps boost flexibility
and performance. "If you're a jogger, start slow," Thacker
said. "If you're a golfer, start with some easy golf swings."
About The Author
 Christian Finn holds a master's degree in exercise science, is a certified personal trainer and has been featured on BBC TV and radio, as well as in Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, Fit Pro, Zest and other popular fitness magazines.
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Reference
Thacker SB, Gilchrist J, Stroup DF, Kimsey CD Jr. The impact of
stretching on sports injury risk: a systematic review of the literature.
Med
Sci Sports Exerc. 2004 Mar;36(3):371-8
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