Stretching: What It Does and Does Not Do for Your Workout

Many of us were taught to touch our toes before a run or hold a long stretch before lifting. It feels like the responsible thing to do. The research tells a more nuanced story. This is general education, not medical advice, and anyone with an injury should check with a clinician or physical therapist.

Does stretching prevent soreness?

A Cochrane review by Herbert and colleagues pooled randomized trials on stretching before and after exercise. The conclusion was modest: stretching before, after or both did not produce clinically important reductions in the soreness people feel a day or two after exercise. After exercise, the average difference was about one point on a 100-point scale.

Does it change performance?

In 2016, Behm and colleagues published a systematic review in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism on the immediate effects of stretching. Holding static stretches for a long time right before a task slightly lowered performance, with average changes of a few percent. Later reviews have found that short holds, about a minute or less, have only trivial effects on strength and power, and that dynamic stretching (moving through a range of motion) was not harmful and could modestly help.

What stretching does well

• It improves flexibility. Regular stretching increases how far a joint moves, which can make everyday movements easier. Exercise guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine include flexibility work on at least two or three days a week.
• It can feel good. Many people find it relaxing, and a calm end to a workout helps them stick with it.
• It suits warm-ups when it is dynamic. Leg swings, arm circles and walking lunges prepare the body for what is next.

A sensible routine

• Before exercise: a few minutes of light movement, such as walking or an easy version of the activity, followed by gentle dynamic moves.
• After exercise: longer, relaxed stretches for the muscles you used, if you enjoy them.
• On other days: a short stretching or mobility session, or an activity like yoga, if you like it. See our comparison of yoga and Pilates.
• Never push into pain. Mild tension is fine; sharp pain is a signal to stop.

Pairing flexibility with strength work gives the best of both, as our guides to strength training for beginners, lifting and longevity and balance training explain.

Sources

• Herbert RD, de Noronha M, Kamper SJ. Stretching to prevent or reduce muscle soreness after exercise. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2011, CD004577.
• Behm DG, Blazevich AJ, Kay AD, McHugh M. Acute effects of muscle stretching on physical performance, range of motion, and injury incidence in healthy active individuals: a systematic review. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 2016.
• American College of Sports Medicine. Position stand on quantity and quality of exercise (flexibility recommendations).