Stretching before exercise is almost as important as the exercise itself, right? That is what everyone from concerned parents to high school coaches to doctors have likely told you throughout your life. Did you know, though, that stretching can actually be as dangerous as other forms of exercise? Certain forms of stretching can give you with injuries that can land you in the care of sports medicine in NYC. It is important for your health that you know the truth about stretching, when it is necessary, how it can be harmful, and what the long-term effects of bad stretching can be. New Research Recent evidence from The New York Times has shown that a form of stretching referred to as static stretching may not be completely healthy. Static stretching involves slowly extending muscles just until they reach a position that is slightly challenging or painful. Then, the position is held for a few counts and released. An example of static stretching includes standing up straight, then bending forward at the waist to touch your forehead to your knees (or get close to doing so). The report in the Times showed that static stretching is not effective in preventing injuries. In fact, it may even have negative effects on the body, lowering body strength and diminishing speed. It may also lower the endurance of some athletes. One study in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research demonstrated that static stretching performed before weight training exercises can cause a decrease in strength and even stability. Instability and decreased strength can lead to injury or even accidents like dropping weights on your body. Overall, it was shown that static stretching can be ineffective at best and harmful at worst. One reason why stretches—especially static stretches—can be harmful is that they overwork the muscles. Stretching engages muscles and challenges them. When the muscles are overworked before a workout, the exercise or sports play that follows will begin with tired muscles. So Why Is It Recommended? Why, if static stretching is so unnecessary or harmful, do people perform these stretches? It is likely because people have been encouraged to do so. The question, then, is who is telling people, from athletes and dancers to weight trainers and joggers, to stretch before they exercise? It is likely personal trainers, school coaches, and other individuals that exercise professionally who are encouraging people under their care to stretch for several minutes before they exercise. The reason that many people believe that stretching sessions are necessary is that "cold" muscles that have not been warmed up appropriately are not prepared for the intensity of the following workout and can become sore, cramped, or even torn. While this is true of cold muscles, stretching is not the answer. Rather, stretching is part of a tradition that science has now deemed medically unfounded. What's the Alternative? Instead of performing deep or static stretches, many professionals recommend simple warm-up exercises. Jumping jacks, a slow jog, light yoga poses, or even walking laps around a track can warm up the body without overworking any muscles, which makes for a healthy exercise session or athletic practice. It is also recommended that stretching follow exercise rather than precede it. Stretching is a perfect cool-down because it effectively transitions the body from active to sedentary states. Also, the negative effects of diminished strength and endurance are negligible when exercise is over. Of course, this does not mean that stretching is completely negative. Rather, it is important to find out how to stretch, what types of stretches to perform, and how long you should stretch. If you have any concerns or are recovering from a sports injury, you should visit with professionals in Sports Medicine NYC so you can learn effective, healthy stretching and warm-up techniques for safe exercise, successful sports participation, and overall body health.
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