Since he was a teenager, Fred Ashe has endured horrible back problems. Fred underwent multiple back surgeries but unfortunately, his back issues continued. An avid golf player, Fred was disappointed when his surgeon told him in 2022 that golf was aggravating his back and he should consider giving up the game.
Not willing to let his lifelong passion become a thing of the past, Fred remembered that one of his friends praised “getting stretched.” Intrigued, Fred decided to try it for himself. He began getting stretched at a stretching studio in Shrewsbury, New Jersey. Six weeks of getting stretched led to Fred’s return to the golf course with no pain.
After experiencing such relief in his back from his stretching sessions, Fred, an Englewood resident and the proud parent of a Moriah and SAR alum, decided the Bergen County area could benefit from a stretching studio. With the help of his co-owner, Mitchell Udell, and Amy Barbato, Fred’s own stretch therapist from Shrewsbury, Get Stretched opened in the heart of Englewood on April 8, 2024. Barbato now serves as the general manager and a certified stretch therapist at Get Stretched.
The Get Stretched studio has four certified stretch therapists, both male and female, certified through the National Association of Sports Medicine (NASM). Most of the therapists have backgrounds in physical therapy, sports science and fitness training, which enables the therapists to have a deep understanding of muscle function and movement. The therapists perform Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) Stretching, a deep stretch of the muscle while the muscle is up against resistance. This type of stretching can prevent injuries and maintain optimal flexibility, boost one’s athletic performance and flexibility, enhance recovery after an injury or surgery and reduce discomfort, relieve tension and increase range of motion in areas of chronic pain.
Hillary Cohen, an Englewood resident, started coming weekly for stretching sessions since the studio opened. Stretching has changed her life. “I am totally arthritic, I have a bad back, I have a bad neck, I have bad legs and when I walk out of here every week, there is a pep in my step,” Cohen said.
Get Stretched offers both 25-minute and 50-minute stretching sessions. Clients can purchase one session at a time or a package for multiple sessions. At a client’s first stretching session, their stretch therapist will assess their mobility, flexibility and any areas of concern. This assessment enables the stretch therapist to create a personalized plan tailored to meet the client’s specific needs. The therapist will track the client’s progress after a few sessions and make any necessary adjustments in the treatment plan to enable the client to reach their goals. After each stretch session, clients can take advantage of the recovery area located in the studio to help relax and restore their body. The recovery area is equipped with compression boots, which improves circulation and reduces soreness; cupping therapy, which helps relieve pain and inflammation; and electric stim therapy, which eases muscle tension and promotes healing. Upon request, an area can be sectioned off for a private stretching session.
Get Stretched is offering multiple discounts. All new clients are entitled to one free 25-minute stretch and 10% off all packages. There is a senior discount of 20% on all packages, and healthcare workers and first responders receive 15% off all packages. There is no charge for cancellation and family members can share a package. Additionally, the studio accepts both HSAs and FSAs.
Fred continues to receive stretching weekly at Get Stretched and has never felt better. “It changed my life; it really gave me back my whole life. Stretching got me back on the golf course, which is my hobby, my passion, something I have been doing since I was 10 years old,” Fred said.
If you are suffering from pain following an injury or surgery, suffer from chronic pain or are looking to get more flexible or boost your athleticism, check out Get Stretched. For more information about Get Stretched and to book an appointment check out www.getstretchednj.com.
