Is it Possible to Overstretch?

The Risks of Overstretching and How to Stretch Properly

Benefits a of stretching

There is no doubt that stretching can bring many health benefits to the body. It is highly recommended to stretch the muscles, especially those to be used before any exercise session. Stretching will help the muscles warm up and gain some elasticity. This way, the muscles will be better prepared for the physical activity to be carried out.

However, many people overstretch without realizing it. There is a wrong conception that stretching more intensely will make your body more flexible. It is true that your body will gain more flexibility as you increase the intensity of your stretches. Nevertheless, this process has to be gradual and so will the progress. 

If you push your limits when stretching, your results might be the opposite of what you expected.

Are you overstretching?

“You should not feel pain when stretching” is the golden rule. You should stretch until you feel a stronger tension in the muscle being used, but it should not be painful. When there is pain, we are undoubtedly overstretching. This pain usually feels sharp during the execution. In the same way, if your muscles are sore the day after stretching them, this is another indication that you are pushing your body’s limits while stretching.

Risks

We mentioned how stretching can have so many great benefits. On the other hand, overstretching can be counterproductive for our desired goals. One of the principal risks includes getting a sprain or a strain. Subsequently, this would lead to you having to take a time off to rest and recover from the injury. 

How to stretch properly

To avoid getting injured from overstretching, here are some recommendations you should take into account:

• Have a warmup session before stretching. If you start with stretching exercises straight away, your body will be more prone to sprains since your muscles are cold and stiff. 
• Your stretches should be slow, soft and gentle. Moving quickly and aggressively can cause an injury. To take the most advantage out of a stretch, you should hold it for a considerable time. An appropriate amount of time could be between fifteen and thirty seconds.
• Stretching until you feel pain. As mentioned above, this means you are overstretching. Be patient, understand your body limits and work on improving your flexibility gradually.

Treatment

If you have already overstretched your muscles and you are dealing with the soreness and inflammation, you should rest the affected area. You could treat it like any other inflammation, applying heat and cold and taking anti-inflammatory medicine. If you do not observe signs of healing, you should consult a doctor.

Orthopedic Corner | Leon Mead MD Orthopedic Doctor | 730 Goodlette Road North, Suite 201  Naples Florida 34102 | Phone: (239) 262-1119