Stretching Myths

A lot of times, stretching can be viewed from different points of views. Here are some common myths and mistakes according to the book “Stretching to Stay Young" by Jessia Matthews:

1. “Stretching only for contortionists/gymnasts”

2. This is completely wrong! You don't need to be super flexible to stretch. In fact, those flexible people most likely started out really stiff (from ZERO) in the first place. “The reality is that stretching can improve anyone’s flexibility, posture, and body awareness…” (Jessica Mathews). You’ll be able to do everyday chores around the house to improve your favorite sport!

3. “You don’t need to focus on all muscles of stretching”

4. According to the book, many people think that before doing a workout, only the specific muscles needed need to be stretched. This is COMPLETELY wrong. Focusing to stretch on all muscle groups promotes balanced, even stretching. Having one leg more flexible than the other can have more chance of injury.

5. “You don’t need good posture to stretch”

6. This one is absolutely wrong! Imagine touching your toes - you could probably go deeper with a rounded back. Although this may seem right, it’s really a recipe for bad posture and maybe even injury. Make sure when doing this, your back is FLAT when going down to touch your toes. Similarly in any other occasion, make sure that your stretches are in the right posture.

7. “You don’t need to balance your mobility and stretching”

8. When you stretch, you’ll want to make sure your joint stability equalizes with your stretching. Joint stability is when you have the ability to control your joint while being in a specific position. Doing this with dynamic stretches (In another one of my articles) really will help to ease pain, have more function, and increase efficiency.

9. “It’s too late for me to start stretching”

10. This is a definite NO! Any age can start stretching (just make sure you contact your physician before beginning). Affording o the book, studies have shown that people who pair stretching to some sort of physical activity, the improvements of what once was considered “locked” is now more opened and mobilized. No matter the age, stretching can be a great deal to your body. Even though as you age your muscles naturally get tighter, that doesn’t specifically mean to stop stretching! No more sprains, strains, and falls!

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