Stretching does not prevent injuries, study finds

[Glenn]

Interesting study:
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u ... id=1049944

Thacker and four CDC colleagues combed research databases for studies that had compared stretching with other ways to prevent training injuries. They combined data from five studies so they could look more closely for any benefits that might emerge as a pattern. Their report is in the March issue of the American College of Sports Medicine's journal, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.

People who stretched were no more or less likely to suffer such injuries as pulled muscles, which the increased flexibility that results from stretching is supposed to prevent, researchers found.

Other research has found that warmups, which increase blood flow through the muscle and make it more ready to respond to exercise, can reduce the risk of injury, Thacker said. Being in good shape also helps. Strength and balance training reduced injuries as well, he said.

I wonder if this research accounts for the stupidity factor, i.e. no matter how flexible you are you can still overtrain and overstretch, thus causing injury.

On the plus side:

Two other researchers said, however, that there may still be value in the stretches that coaches require, and athletes do.

Lynn Millar, a professor of physical therapy at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Mich., said her experience in treating people with injuries tells her that those who don't stretch may find they can't move their arms and legs as far as they used to, and this could set them up for injury.

Stephen Rice, director of the sports medicine center at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, N.J., said flexibility is an element of fitness, and stretching ought to make a person more flexible.

[Bill Glasheen]

Glenn

Thank you so much for this post.

One only needs to read what you quoted very carefully to realize that "Stretching does not prevent injuries" is an invalid conclusion from the studies that were performed.

It isn't the stretching per se, it's the lack of flexibility. Stretching contributes to flexibility, which is one component of total fitness.

The problem with stretching is that most people do it at the beginning of a workout when the body is cold. Doing stretching in this manner actually will increase the risk of injury at that workout, thus negating the long-term benefit of a program of flexibility training.

It's the whole package - balanced strength, flexibility, coordination, proprioception, and knowledge of activity.

Injury prevention though is a minor benefit of stretching - if indeed that benefit exists. Range of motion contributes to overall fitness and ability.

- Bill

[RACastanet]

I agree with Bill. Flexibility and stretching is a huge part of my training. In the last two years I have been doing what most would consider extreme training, and I have watched many folks much younger, stronger and aerobically fit than I fall by the wayside due to injuries that I have managed to avoid because of my flexibility.

Rich

[KZMiller]

I think that stretching, if done right, is a warm up. What are people doing for warmups anyway? I sometimes walk as part of my warmup, but the stretching is the warmup, becoming more intense as I get more loose and the muscles start to heat from exertion.

Very confusing study. It may be that they set up their study parameters funky. Scientists are fallible and sometimes silly in their approaches. Did any of the scientists participate in physical activity? Sometimes inexperience or lack of information in the area of study unintentially skews results very badly. Their conclusions, as Bill pointed out, sounded rather contradictory and that makes me suspicious.

Kami

[Michael L.E. Court]

There are various ways of stretching ... some more beneficial than others ...

Humbly,

[Stryke]

The problem with stretching is that most people do it at the beginning of a workout when the body is cold. Doing stretching in this manner actually will increase the risk of injury at that workout, thus negating the long-term benefit of a program of flexibility training

I couldnt agree more here , i find dynamic stretching to be of most use as a warm up , and static/isometric etc for the warm down .

[Michael L.E. Court]

Also agreed. Its more effective to stretch with your muscle fibers in a 'warmed up' state.

Something else you might want to try is stretching 'in between' whatever excercises or excertions you are doing ... ie, sets of kicks, weights ... etc ...

I usually stretch in between and post work out.

Humbly,

[NEB]

Here isanother good link on stretching:

http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/200 ... shrier.htm

The upshot, as far as I could tell after a quick read is that certain types of stretches work better than others, and that a proper warm-up is more important than stretching to prevent most injuries. Although range of motion is definately increased as a result of proper stretching exercises, and that can certainly prevent injuries during times of heavey exertion (as in high kicking)