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Associated Press

For many people of a certain age, physical education began with reaching for their toes. Then, over the years, we were told it was better to stretch after exercise.
It turns out, both those things can be true, but the differing advice has created some confusion.
Stretching can help make you more flexible, improve the range of motion in your joints – and feel good.
David Behm, who researches human kinetics at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St John’s, Canada, offers the following advice on when to stretch and how to do it safely.
1. Warm up first
It is almost always good to stretch, but it is better if you warm up first, said Behm, author of The Science and Physiology of Flexibility and Stretching. He recommends a light aerobic activity such as jogging, walking or cycling – something that gets your blood pumping – for five or 10 minutes.

Follow that with some static stretching, the traditional way of reaching and holding a position. You can then do activity-specific dynamic stretching, in which you warm up the muscles with repetitive movements like leg lifts.
Behm says one minute is “the magic number” for how long to do static stretching per muscle group without fatigue.

2. Expand your definition of ‘stretching’
Should you always stretch before exercising? If it is traditional stretching, not necessarily.
The better question, Behm says, is: “Should people increase their range of motion? Should people have better flexibility? And that is yes, because it helps prevent injuries. It helps with health. But you don’t have to stretch to achieve that.”
Resistance training, for instance, can be an effective form of stretching, he said. Doing a chest press increases range of motion in your deltoids and pecs, whether with barbells, dumbbells or machines, so there is no need to stretch beforehand.
Just make sure to start with a small amount of weight to warm up and then add more to train.

“You probably don’t have to do extra stretching unless you’re a gymnast, a figure skater, or even a golfer who needs a great range of motion through that swing,” Behm said.
Nor do you need to stretch first if you are going for a leisurely run. Simply start with a slow jog to warm up and then increase the pace.
3. Do not do it if it hurts
After exercise, “light stretching is OK, as long as you don’t reach a point where you’re feeling pain”, Behm said. Since your muscles will be warm by that point, overdoing it makes you more likely to injure yourself.
Foam rollers can help with muscle recovery and have been shown to increase range of motion as well as stretching.

4. Do some static stretching before sport
If you are playing a sport, Behm said, static stretching beforehand helps reduce muscle and tendon injuries.
“If you’re going to do an explosive movement, change of direction, agility, sprint, any of these explosive activities that involve your muscles and tendons,” he said, “you’re going to be stronger if you do static stretching.”
People can get in trouble especially when they go back to a sport they used to do – whether it is tennis, surfing or any sort of team activity – without stretching.
Also, stretch both sides equally. Lacking flexibility on one side also can lead to injury.

It sounds simple, so why all the confusion?
Different studies over the years have either encouraged or discouraged stretching before exercise. Behm says that is partly because some studies did not reflect real-life conditions, or were designed with elite athletes in mind, not regular people.
“If you’re [eight-time Olympic champion and double world record holder in sprints] Usain Bolt, it makes a difference,” said Behm. Not so much for the rest of us.
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Stretching before or after exercise? Or not at all? Expert’s top tips help end confusion

Stretching can help make you more flexible, improve range of motion in your joints – and that is the case for both before and after exercise. Photo: Shutterstock

David Behm researches human kinetics at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St John’s, Canada. Photo: Memorial University of Newfoundland

You probably do not have to do extra stretching unless you are a figure skater or another type of athlete who needs a great range of motion. Photo: Shutterstock

Resistance training can be an effective form of stretching. Photo: Shutterstock

Foam rollers can help with muscle recovery. Photo: Shutterstock

After exercise, light stretching is OK, as long as you do not start to feel pain. Since your muscles will be warm, overdoing it makes you more likely to injure yourself. Photo: Shutterstock

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Some activities, such as balance training and stretching, are light in nature, but should still be encouraged, says Professor Melody Ding, who suggests everyone should be as active as they can be. Photo: Shutterstock 

Researcher Melody Ding is a professor of public health at The University of Sydney. Photo: Melody Ding

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Lifestyle

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It is almost always good to stretch, Canadian researcher says, although a warm-up first is best; resistance training may suffice


Stretching can help make you more flexible and improve the range of motion in your joints – whether it is done before and after exercise. An expert shares tips on how to stretch safely.


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