Is Stretching Now Underrated? Accumulating Research Says YesMedscape | By Lou Schuler For many, stretching is the fitness equivalent of awkward small talk. It's the opening act, the thing you tolerate because you know it will be over soon. Others have challenged the practice, suggesting that stretching isn't necessary at all. Some research has found that a preworkout stretch may even be disadvantageous, weakening muscles and hindering performance. To put it plainly, no one seems terribly enthusiastic about touching their toes. That's why a 2020 study on exercise and mortality was such a head-scratcher. The study found that stretching was uniquely associated with a lower risk for all-cause mortality among American adults. That's after controlling for participation in other types of exercise. The finding seemed like a fluke, until a 2023 study found essentially the same thing. Among Korean adults, those who did flexibility exercise at least five times a week had a 20% lower risk of dying during the follow-up period than those who didn't stretch at all. That was slightly better than the risk reduction associated with high volumes of aerobic exercise and resistance training. How can that be ? It turns out, stretching is linked to several health benefits that you might not expect. The Surprising Benefits of StretchingWhen we talk about stretching, we usually mean static stretching — getting into and holding a position that challenges a muscle, with the goal of improving range of motion around a joint. It doesn't need to be a big challenge. "Research shows you can get increases in flexibility by stretching to the initial point of discomfort," said David Behm, PhD, an exercise scientist at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada who's published dozens of studies on stretching over the past quarter-century. That brings us to the first benefit… |