Stretching to achieve your toes was a typical every day warmup in our childhood PE lessons. That mentioned, as adults, it may be more durable to get round to stretching or know do it appropriately.
Nonetheless, stretching has a number of advantages past feeling oh-so-good on these tight muscle mass. Which may be one cause extra individuals are turning to “stretch remedy”—aka, getting knowledgeable that will help you stretch out.
“Assisted stretch remedy has elevated in reputation these previous few years,” says Thomas Pontinen, MD, doctor and co-founder of Midwest Anesthesia and Ache Specialists. “Once we’re speaking about stretch remedy, it’s typically referring to therapeutic companies that assist people stretch extra successfully and safely.”
It’s a part of a shifting development towards restoration: Practically half of Individuals say stretching and restorative yoga are essential to them, per a 2023 Mindbody report.
In actual fact, stretching class reservations at gyms elevated 91 p.c in 2023 from the earlier 12 months—and stretching studio franchise StretchLab opened its four-hundredth studio in November 2023 (and had agreements in place for 900 extra studios as of early 2024), reviews CNN.
Right here’s what to know in regards to the follow earlier than you signal as much as get stretched.
What’s stretch remedy?
Briefly, stretch remedy is when a educated specialist helps you stretch your muscle mass in particular methods.
“In contrast to conventional stretching you would possibly do by yourself, stretch remedy is usually extra structured and tailor-made to your particular wants,” says Eva Lassey, DPT, physician of bodily remedy and founder and CEO of DrSensory.
It might assist with a number of musculoskeletal points, per NASA, which gives stretch remedy as a part of its Starport quality-of-life program for workers. These points could embody:
- Tight muscle mass
- Lack of mobility
- Poor flexibility
- Ache
Stretch remedy also can increase your bodily consciousness by serving to you higher perceive your physique, limitations, and correct motion patterns.
“It may be used to treatment restricted tissue motion, joint imbalances, and related considerations that place somebody in danger for harm,” says Brittany Ferri, PhD, an occupational therapist with the Nationwide Council on Getting old.
In case you assume that sounds a bit like bodily remedy, you’re not incorrect—however there are some distinct variations.
Whereas stretching is usually part of bodily remedy, they’re not the identical, Dr. Ferri says. That’s as a result of bodily therapists sometimes have extra in depth coaching than stretch therapists, which they use to deal with well being circumstances that will contain decreases in movement, flexibility, power, coordination, and extra.
Many bodily therapists provide stretching along with therapeutic workout routines, affected person schooling, neuromuscular re-education, gait coaching, ache administration modalities, and extra primarily based on the affected person’s considerations and priorities.
The advantages of stretch remedy
Holding your muscle mass limber, normally, comes with a number of perks. In actual fact, greater flexibility scores have been linked to a decrease threat of early dying in a 2024 research within the Scandinavian Journal of Drugs & Science in Sports activities.
“Stretching will increase circulation and may expedite muscle restoration and joint well being, as a result of blood carries the vitamins that maintain tissues wholesome,” Dr. Pontinen says. “It additionally will increase bodily vary of movement and reduces muscular stress.”
It’s potential that stretching with an skilled may also help you make the most of these advantages, if you happen to wouldn’t usually achieve this by yourself.
“Stretching has many recognized advantages, however assisted stretching could make these advantages extra accessible,” Dr. Pontinen provides. “Having an skilled to information you thru every step is a good device for maintaining your stretches protected and efficient.”
With a stretch therapist, you may additionally be capable to carry out stretches with extra depth, persistence, and precision—taking you past fundamental toe touches or arm raises. A therapist additionally has the data that will help you goal the best muscle mass primarily based in your distinctive wants.
“Whenever you search an skilled’s assist for stretch remedy somewhat than going it alone, you too can profit from improved data about your physique’s mechanisms and hearken to bodily indicators of ache and discomfort,” Dr. Ferri says.
Drawbacks of stretch remedy
Analysis has but to again up lots of the advantages of investing in assisted stretching for general well being, particularly when in comparison with common, average bodily exercise, per Harvard Medical College.
Whereas deeper stretching could possibly be useful for many who take part in sports activities like dance or gymnastics that require quite a lot of flexibility, stretching studios is probably not crucial for the on a regular basis particular person. In case you’re only a bit stiff, merely training yoga or tai chi could assist you to really feel extra limber.
There are additionally sure bodily drawbacks of stretch remedy in comparison with different modalities like bodily remedy.
“Whereas stretch remedy focuses on flexibility and vary of movement, it is probably not sufficient to deal with underlying points corresponding to muscle imbalances, power ache, or severe accidents, which can require a extra complete method like bodily remedy,” Dr. Lassey says.
It additionally comes with the potential threat of overstretching, which might result in accidents like strains or sprains—so it’s vital to discover a therapist who understands your physique and distinctive wants.
Remember that you’ll must see a stretch therapist repeatedly to see outcomes.
“Common classes might be costly, and the prices can add up over time, particularly if you happen to’re seeing a specialised therapist,” Dr. Lassey provides. “Stretch remedy requires an everyday dedication to see long-term advantages, which is probably not possible for everybody.”
“Stretching has many recognized advantages, however assisted stretching could make these advantages extra accessible. Having an skilled to information you thru every step is a good device for maintaining your stretches protected and efficient.” —Thomas Pontinen, MD
Price and insurance coverage protection
The value of stretch remedy varies by supplier. “Stretch remedy sometimes prices between $50 and $150 per hour, relying on the place you reside and the therapist’s expertise,” Dr. Ferri says.
Some stretch studios could provide reductions for a number of classes or preliminary consultations at a decrease price, which can be useful in case your insurance coverage doesn’t cowl it (which is prone to be the case).
“Insurance coverage often doesn’t cowl stretch remedy, although some plans would possibly embody it underneath different drugs advantages,” Dr. Ferri says.
Verify together with your insurance coverage firm to see if they provide any protection. Some insurance coverage can also cowl your stretch remedy if it is a part of a broader bodily remedy program prescribed by a health care provider, Dr. Lassey provides.
Discover stretch remedy close to you
Go-to on-line directories like Zocdoc, Healthgrades, and Yelp may also help information you to native stretch therapists or studios providing stretch remedy. Nonetheless, learn critiques and testimonials rigorously to get perception into the standard of companies.
“I’d name and ask for a spot to share details about credentials, along with what makes them particular versus the competitors,” Dr. Pontinen says.
Verify what expertise the stretch therapists have at a given studio or fitness center. For example, some could obtain a particular variety of hours of hands-on coaching, have train science levels or yoga certifications, and even carry bodily remedy levels, per the College of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
Your current healthcare workforce can also have strategies for stretch therapists or facilities.
“Ask your major care doctor, bodily therapist, or health coach for suggestions,” Dr. Lassey says. “Many gyms, yoga studios, and wellness facilities additionally provide stretch remedy as a part of their companies.”
Backside line: Is stretch remedy best for you?
In case you’re on the lookout for guided assist in bettering your flexibility, easing muscle stress, or boosting your athletic efficiency for sports activities like dance, stretch remedy may be helpful (simply be ready to cowl it out of pocket). Nonetheless, if you happen to’re experiencing power ache, recovering from an harm, or coping with a particular situation, it’s higher to seek the advice of a bodily therapist or your physician first.
