A very common “quick fix” people like to use to relieve pain is static stretching. However, stretching is usually not the long-term answer for muscle tightness, orthopedic injuries or chronic pain. So while there are benefits to stretching, let’s talk about why it shouldn’t be the main portion of an exercise program, and let’s discuss how mobility plays a role. To understand the purpose of stretching vs mobility, we first need to understand how a muscle works.
Simply stated, muscles produce movement by shortening or lengthening: The shortening of a muscle is a concentric contraction to produce force (think of a simple bicep curl). Lengthening of a muscle is an eccentric contraction (think of your arm returning to your side after a bicep curl). Another term to know is an isometric contraction, where a muscle is producing force but not actively moving, so there is no change in muscle length (think of a plank).
When someone tells me they feel “tight” (which as a PT happens all the time), they usually feel like a muscle is “shortened.” However, this is rarely the case. A common time a muscle is shortened is when someone is in a CAM boot for an extended period of time due to an ankle/foot injury. Because of this boot, the calf muscle has not been able to move for a long period of time, and stretching as part of the rehab program is therefore validated (along with mobility and strengthening at the right time). However, most of the time muscles are not shortened at rest.
So why do we feel so “tight?” Most of the time, our brain/body perceives this feeling as tightness when in reality it is not tight, but either muscles are weak or the joint is restricted or too mobile. This is where joint “mobility” and “stability” comes into play. If a joint is restricted, it can feel like muscle tightness, but static stretching will be pointless; the joint needs to be mobilized. If a joint is hypermobile, stretching will be pointless as well since the problem is that the joints move too much; the joint needs stability. Static stretching is used to help improve muscle flexibility. Flexibility is a common term that is often confused with mobility. Flexibility is the ability of muscles to be passively stretched without affecting the joint. Mobility is the joint’s ability to move through its full range of motion.
Performing dynamic mobility exercises can help improve overall joint mobility and prepare our body for movement better than static stretching can. Additionally, results of a mobility program can be seen faster than results of static stretching. Research shows that to get significant change in tissue length, we need to statically stretch the muscles for three to five minutes, four to six days a week, and changes can usually be seen after 10-12 weeks. I don’t know about you but most people I know do not stretch their hamstrings for three minutes that many days a week. It’s very time consuming! However, mobility exercises require three to five minutes, three to seven days a week, and can show results in two or three weeks. That sounds way more manageable!
Another reason we may feel “tight” can be due to muscle weakness. We need a good strengthening program to complement a mobility/stability program. By strengthening the muscles that feel tight, we can turn off the feelings of stiffness/tightness that do not actually exist. Let’s go back to a commonly stretched body part – the hammies! The hamstrings often feel tight, especially in runners. By only stretching the hamstrings without adding strengthening, the root of the problem is not being addressed, so the feeling of tightness won’t go away. If they feel tight, odds are they are actually weak. If they are weak, they often tighten up to protect and help stabilize the hip and knee joints. This tightness can lead to more stiffness in other areas and restrict more mobility, causing injuries down the line. By strengthening the hamstrings instead, it can help decrease tightness, improve joint mobility and improve flexibility, which can reduce injury risk and improve performance! So while static stretching may feel good in the short term, if you are looking for a long-term solution to pain and/or performance, a mobility/stability and strengthening program is the way to go!
Not sure where to start? Book a consultation with your friendly neighborhood physical therapist.
Jenny is a local, private physical therapist and the owner of Next Step PT. She specializes in general orthopedics for adults and teens, as well as pregnancy and postpartum, running gait analysis, and more. For a free PT consultation or more information, contact [email protected]
