08/06/2026
Some notes about stretching...
Perhaps it's time to update our thinking about static stretching?
A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of 65 studies involving 1,542 adults found that both short-term and long-term static stretching produce a small reduction in muscle and joint stiffness.
But there's a catch.
Researchers found insufficient evidence that up to 24 weeks of moderate- to high-intensity stretching increases muscle fascicle length—the bundles of muscle fibers that help generate force.
Instead, long-term improvements in flexibility appear to come mainly from greater stretch tolerance, meaning your nervous system becomes more comfortable allowing the muscle to move farther.
The review also suggests that timing matters:
🤸 For sports that demand flexibility, such as gymnastics, stretching before activity may be worthwhile because the gains in range of motion can outweigh the temporary reduction in muscle stiffness.
🏈 For explosive sports, such as sprinting and American football, temporary decreases in stiffness could reduce elastic energy return and affect performance. The researchers suggest performing static stretching after training or competition if the goal is to improve flexibility over time.
The findings may also influence rehabilitation. For people recovering from prolonged immobilization or joint contractures, increasing range of motion may depend more on improving stretch tolerance than changing muscle structure.
If the goal is to increase muscle fascicle length, the authors suggest clinicians may want to consider other interventions, such as eccentric resistance training.
(Photo by Ketut Subiyanto)
Details: https://massagefitnessmag.com/fitness/static-stretching/
