Dr David McGrath

Spine Physician

MB BS (Hons) FAFOM, RACP, FAFMM
Master of Pain Medicine

What's Wrong with Stretch?

In a word. Everything.
Here's the danger.

Tight structures can be part of the solution
The time period for significant change is to short
Target structures are difficult to identify
Misapplied stretch endangers non target tissues
Well-applied stretch may also endanger non target tissues
There is no scientific evidence of value in either the sporting domain or for disability
Physiological balance is disturbed
Negative habit cycles can be produced.

Why then do people stretch ? It has its roots in history. Probably the idea was popularised with the arrival of Hatha yoga in the west. Yoga itself has its origins in Kriya yoga which was largely movement and dance. Physiotherapy as an emmerging discipline moved from massage techniques to incorporate stretching routines. Mr Pilates also adopted stretch along with a strenghening routine. At this point, the whole world adopted stretch as a given. Sports trainers promulgated the idea to athletes and athletes convinced coaches it was a necessary practice. In other words, there was now consenses. Consenses however is not the truth, only agreement. (see essay)
Enthusiasits were keen to demonstate scientific validity. They set up scientific trials to establish its efficacy in athletes. Unfortunately,an ugly fact arrived to ruin a great idea. There was no improvement in injury rate,post exercise muscle soreness or even performance. This was difficult to swallow after 100 years or more of stretching. Ultimately studies were produced to show measurable negative effects. (Jacobs & Berson (1986) In the pain and disability area, the research lagged. Studies were confounded by multiple interventions. Stretch,medication,exercise,psychotherapy were often included in the one intervention. The results were so average however, that it could be stated, that stretch as a single component was very unlikely to have any measurable effect. One would have to argue that all of the other co-interventions were definately negative; for stretch to be a possible positive.
All of this is reminiscent of an old adage. It is possible to fool all of the people some of the time. For at least a hundred years it seems. Even today, in the face of all this negative data stretch is the most popular intervention in the musculoskeletal system. I suspect that there is a driving need to "do something" and only stretch/stengthen comes to mind. What is lacking is a viable alternative.(see Recursive Neuromodulation)

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