Stretching and Athletic Performance by Sarah Gilmore
[This is a guest blog by one of our Athletic Interns, Sarah Gilmore, an Exercise Science student from UNC]
Stretching: It’s not a new concept and the majority of exercisers could list at least a few simple stretches without any trouble. Despite the pervasive knowledge of what stretching is there still exist many questions about its effects. Does stretching reduce post-exercise muscle soreness? Does it prevent injuries? Does stretching improve performance? Does it actually do anything at all? Stretching is a heavily debated topic among exercise specialists. It seems that everyone has their own idea as to what kind, how long and if it should be performed at all but what does the research actually say about stretching’s effects?
Recent studies have been supporting people’s notions that stretching may not yield all of the claimed results. A study of 77 individuals in 2002 performed by Dr. Robert Herbert found that on average there was only a 2mm reduction in muscle soreness on a 100mm scale, a negligible difference in most athletes’ minds. This same study also found that reduction in injury hazard was a mere 5% among participants. On the other hand, when it comes to performance improvement, studies such as one published in the 2006 Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research have found dynamic stretching warm-ups to improve performance on a variety of power output and agility tests. Interestingly, those same studies have revealed that static warm-ups actually decrease strength and power output slightly. Based on these conclusions, there is a need for reconsideration of the pre-exercise static stretching routines that are commonplace in many exercise settings. Performance improvement is a goal of most exercisers so even though stretching warm-ups do not appear to reduce the soreness or risk of injury during exercise, a dynamic stretching routine should be included to maximize workout results.
For the individuals whose workouts are not based upon performance results it is worth noting the numerous emerging studies that cite stretching as a source of stress relief. Yoga studios and group yoga classes have grown significantly in popularity during recent years as participants consistently rave about its relaxing effects. While buying a yoga mat and signing up for the next available class is not for everyone, there is still hope for stress relief. Finding a little bit of time during the day, maybe just a few additional stretches at the end of your workout, could help alleviate that built up tension from a day full of screaming kids and frustrating co-workers.
