Many practitioners (myself included once upon a time) still
give out static stretches to all patients without considering the impacts of
different types of stretching. Static stretching is best described as holding a
specific position with the muscle on tension to a point of a stretching
sensation and repeated. Typically static stretching exercises have
traditionally formed an integral part of the warm-up and it has been suggested that static
stretching before activity promotes improvements in performance ), and increases
range of motion. This was and still is considered to be true. However, studies
are now challenging the value of the conventional static stretching warm-up and
its ability to improve physical performance. In fact some studies suggest the
opposite that static stretching reduces performance ! Oh dear not great advice
then !
In fact static stretching may inhibit performance by
reducing force production, balance, reaction time, sprint times, and power
output.
Another gem often said is that static stretching reduces
injuries. Current research implies that that stretching before exercise does
not reduce the risk of injury (here is the article) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10593217
Another common belief is that static stretching elongates the
muscles again studies suggest that rather, the subject may simply have an
increased tolerance to stretching (ability to withstand more stretching force).
As a result from this evidence an alternative to static
stretching is that dynamic stretching be performed in a warm-up prior to
activities.
The benefit of dynamic stretching incorporates whole body
movements and involves actively and rhythmically contracting a muscle group
through part of its functional ROM . This acts to elevate core
body temperature, enhance motor unit excitability, improve kinaesthetic
awareness, and maximize active ROMs . Dynamic stretching may include skipping,
hopping, jumping, and rotation motions of the extremities, such as arm and leg
swings (10,11,22). A proposed physiological rationale for replacing static
stretching with dynamic stretching in a preperformance warm-up lies in
mechanical (viscoelastic) and neuromuscular tissues changes.
In contrast to static stretching, dynamic stretching is not
associated with strength
or performance deficits, and actually has been shown to
improve dynamometer-measured power.
So before activity dynamic stretches
After activity static stretches held for between 15 to 30
seconds
