Chiropractor in Clarksville TN Discusses Stretching
Stretching can help you explore or increase a comfortable range of movement. As chiropractors in Clarksville, we'd start with what you want to do more easily, not how far someone else can bend. A painful restriction, a locked joint and a tight muscle are different problems, and they don't always need the same approach.
Flexibility, static stretching and dynamic movement: what's the difference?
| Term | What it describes | What it doesn't tell you |
|---|---|---|
| Flexibility | Available range of movement | If that range is comfortable, controlled or useful for a task |
| Static stretching | Holding a position near the end of range | The whole of a warm-up, or what's causing the restriction |
| Dynamic movement | Moving repeatedly through a range | That it's fine to move through sharp pain or a new injury |
Someone can reach overhead and still struggle to lift a box up there. Someone else has less range and no trouble with the things they do. That's why an assessment looks at symptoms, control and function alongside range.
What does the research say about stretching?
A systematic review by Behm and colleagues looked at the immediate effects of stretching in healthy, active people. Stretching could increase range of motion. Long static holds right before an all-out effort were linked to bigger drops in performance than short holds, and the rest of the warm-up changed the result too.
So timing and purpose matter. But the review isn't evidence that stretching is bad for you in general, that more flexibility cures pain, or that a routine prevents every sports injury. A study measuring performance minutes after stretching says nothing about how an injury recovers over months.
For chronic nonspecific low back pain, a Cochrane review of exercise therapy supports exercise as an option for improving pain. The programs took different approaches, so it doesn't single out stretching as the best treatment. Strength, endurance, confidence and everyday activity may belong in the plan too.
Is there a general rule for stretching?
The general rule is that a stretch should have a clear purpose. A better test than how far you can reach is an ordinary task, like reaching a shelf or turning to look behind you. The useful signs are that the task feels easier after you stretch and your symptoms stay settled later in the day.
A movement you've been given is only useful once you know how to do it, what response is acceptable, and when to stop.
Range isn't a competition. With an existing injury, the progression belongs to whoever is treating you, because an online routine may be aimed at a different problem or stage of recovery. Our range of motion guide covers how an exam tells movement limits apart.
When should a stiff joint be checked instead of stretched?
A restriction that comes on suddenly, follows an injury, or comes with catching, locking, giving way, numbness, pins and needles or weakness should be assessed, not stretched through. Sharp or spreading pain is a reason to stop and find out what's happening. It isn't a sign that the stretch has found the "right" tissue.
A joint that becomes very painful, swollen and hot, especially with a fever or feeling unwell, needs urgent medical assessment. One possible cause is a joint infection, known as septic arthritis. Don't try to stretch it away, and don't wait for a routine appointment.
What we look at when movement is limited
When a joint is stiff, our exam looks at how it moves, where the muscles around it are tight or swollen, and for signs of an irritated nerve. We'll go over what we found before we recommend anything. Stretching may be part of the plan, or active rehabilitation and therapeutic exercise may fit better. Depending on your condition and goals, it may include short-term recommendations and longer-term care options. If it turns out not to be a muscle-and-joint problem, we'll tell you and refer you for the right medical evaluation.
Stretching to get ready for a game or a workout? Our fitness guide covers warming up. If a stiff joint is getting in the way of your day, give our office a call and we'll look at what's limiting it.
Follow the evidence
Research, with context.
Selected published sources behind what we've written, each with what it found and what it can't tell us. We give you both halves because no paper can diagnose you or predict how your own care will go.
Acute effects of muscle stretching on physical performance, range of motion, and injury incidence in healthy active individuals: a systematic review
Studies of stretching before activity in healthy, physically active participants.
What it foundStretching can increase range of motion acutely. Longer static stretches immediately before performance had larger performance reductions than shorter holds; the surrounding warm-up mattered.
What it can't tell usThese are mostly immediate responses in healthy people. More range of motion doesn't automatically mean less pain, and the findings don't establish stretching as a treatment for an injured tendon, an unstable joint or an irritated nerve.
Publication details & citation
Behm et al. 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. DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2015-0235.
Read the publication recordExercise therapy for chronic low back pain
249 trials of exercise therapy in adults with chronic nonspecific low-back pain.
What it foundExercise probably improves pain compared with no treatment, usual care or placebo. Average improvements in function were smaller.
What it can't tell usThe programs, and what they were compared with, varied. The review doesn't point to one best exercise for everyone, and it doesn't apply to a new fracture, an infection or a neurological problem that's getting worse.
Publication details & citation
Hayden et al. Exercise therapy for chronic low back pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2021. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009790.pub2.
Read the publication record
Our editorial policy explains how to read these sources and what our clinical-review labels mean.