To Stretch or Not to Stretch?

One way injuries can arise is as the result of an “incident” like falling or during a lift. Another way they can happen is over time, through repetitive or cumulative stresses (i.e. tendonitis).

In either case, you may experience several different sensations. Sometimes the pain is sharp, sometimes dull, and other times the painful area simply feels “tight”.

When the injured area feels “tight”, the first solution that comes to mind is stretching. But what if you found out that stretching could make the problem worse instead of better? You may be wondering “Is that even possible?”

The quick answer is: Yes, it is possible. But whether or not stretching can make the problem worse has to do with (1) which tissues are involved and (2) the cause of the tightness.

It’s possible that the injury involves certain tissues that are slightly (or not so slightly) torn / disrupted. When you stretch, there is a chance of tearing tissue. This happens for two reasons:

1. The partially torn tissue is weaker than a healthy tissue – and therefore resists stress (i.e. stretching) poorly.
2. The remaining healthy tissues are at greater risk and may also tear because there are fewer fibers (overall) available to resist the tension of a stretch.

Picture a rope that is fully intact. When you pull on the ends, it resists the tension.

Now picture that rope with some frayed fibers. When you pull the ends, the frayed fibers can break. Also, now that the rope has fewer fibers to resist tension, if you pull firmly enough, the intact fibers are at risk for tearing.

In cases like this, it’s safe to say that stretching is not a wise choice.

However, there are cases where stretching is not only indicated, but where it is an essential part of a program. Stretching can, under the right circumstances, help to decrease pain and restore function.

The key is to know when to stretch and to know when not to.

In cases when you are unsure, you should consider having a qualified health-care professional evaluate your condition as soon as possible following an injury or painful episode. They should be able let you know what to do and what not to do to help speed the healing process.

With that said, let’s end with some good rules of thumb:

• If you are stretching and the actual stretching is causing an increase in your pain, you might be doing more harm than good.
• If you are certain that you’ve torn tissue (i.e. strained or sprained tissue), stretching may not be the wise choice.
• Even with healthy tissue, you should never force a stretch.