Debunking Fitness Myths: Stretching By Fabio Comana

Dating back to the early 1980s, the practice of static stretching before exercise was widely believed to prevent or reduce the risk of injury, and to promote performance. Thirty years later and after volumes of research, confusion still exists whether it offers potential benefits before exercise.  From a logical perspective, tissue stiffness and a lack in range of motion (ROM) both contribute to injury, and static stretching is correlated with both a reduction in tissue stiffness and an improved ROM.  While this statement may speak to the benefits of static stretching, we must remember that “correlation” does not imply “causation” (i.e., that static stretching does reduce injury).  More recently, studies investigating the effects of static versus dynamic stretching on force and power production have almost all consistently demonstrated significant reductions in muscle strength and power production following static stretching versus dynamic stretching (Sekir, et al., Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science, 2010; Rossi, et al., Human Movement, 2010)... Rest of article






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MYTH: You Should Stretch before you Exercise- http://www.examiner.com/fitness-and-weight-loss-myths-in-national/myth-you-should-stretch-before-you-exercise