Static Stretching: Is It Helping or Hindering You?

Spending the time to stretch before and after a workout can be a more arduous task than the workout itself. However, many of us rough it out, preferring it over the onset of muscle soreness the next day. Static stretching is the type of stretching that is most commonly associated with the term stretching. A muscle or a group of muscles are extended and held for a short period and then released. While this can be beneficial in increasing the range of motion and improving flexibility, recent studies suggest that static stretching can have a detrimental effect on force production, power performance, strength and endurance, reaction time, and running speed. Let us delve deeper into the science behind stretching and assess the pros and cons of static stretching.

The stretching of a muscle fiber starts at the sarcomere. As the sarcomere stretches, the overlap area between the thick and thin bands of myofilaments decreases, allowing for the fiber to elongate fully. After a certain amount of stretching, all the sarcomeres of the muscle fiber attain their maximum length; upon further stretching, the surrounding connective tissue begins to elongate. The collagen fibers then align themselves along the line of the force, helping to realign any disorganized fibers in the right direction, rehabilitating the scarred tissue. Stretching periodically is also associated with an increased stretch tolerance via neural adaptations, helping to increase the range of motion.

Pre-workout static stretching routines have a significant impact on the performance of the athlete. Decreases have been observed in jump heights, maximal isometric voluntary contraction, voluntary plantarflexion torque, along with delayed motor unit activation. Maximal muscle strength has been observed to decline by 5.4 percent and power performance by 1.9 percent regardless of the age, fitness level, or gender of the athlete. These effects are thought to be induced due to reduced neural activation, increased musculotendinous stiffness, or a combination of both neural and muscular factors. Elevated creatinine kinase levels are also witnessed, indicating muscle damage due to static stretching.

Dynamic stretching is now a popular alternative to static stretching as a pre-workout warm-up. It involves a series of movements, often mimicking the activity that is about to be commenced. The muscles and joints go through a full range of motion, leading to an increase in muscle temperature, nerve conduction velocity, muscle enzymatic cycling, post-activity potentiation, along with a decrease in muscle viscosity. Thereby having a positive impact on speed, strength, performance, and range of movement.

In conclusion, it is seen that static stretching has negative impacts when used as a pre-workout routine. On the other hand, dynamic stretching induces an increase in muscular force and power; thus, making it the favored pre-workout stretch option. However, static stretching has considerable advantages when used as a post-workout cool-down, helping to prevent muscle injury and significantly increasing the range of movement and flexibility of the athletes.

Figure 1. Static Stretching.

Figure 2. Smooth Muscle Fiber Diagram.