Monday Morning Boost #006 · PT Progression

Myth: You Should Stretch Before a Workout or Sport

Static stretching has long been a staple in preparing the body for a workout or sport. Studies concluding that static stretching doesn't prevent risk of injury and that it may temporarily decrease strength and power suggest that pre-activity isn't the best time to perform prolonged stretches.

To be clear, stretching is vital for lengthening shortened contractile or non-contractile tissues and a crucial part of a rehab or fitness regimen.

Now if we're not stretching to prep, what are we doing? A dynamic warm-up of course! This looks like moving the body through relevant ranges of motion, increasing heart rate and body temperature, and focusing on the task ahead.

Do some body weight squats/lunges. Walk briskly before taking a jog. Take a few swings at half as well as three-quarters effort before teeing off or taking the court. Do some jumping jacks, jog in place, or move athletically to show the brain and body, 'IT'S GO TIME!'

Also be sure to take care of sensitive muscles, tendons, or joints by giving them a little extra attention and movement.

Low Back Pain Tip

Low back pain is the common cold of musculoskeletal issues: we all deal with it at some point! Many things can cause back pain, but something we see a lot is back pain that is associated with overarching of the lower back.

Standing for extended periods of time in a parallel stance (feet about hip width apart) often aggravates this type of back pain. A quick fix that can provide some relief is standing in a staggered stance, with one foot slightly ahead of the other.

This stance decreases arching of the lower back and more evenly distributes the stresses in the area. It’s still perfectly fine to stand in a parallel stance, just not for too long.

The best posture is a changing one, so mix things up and give this a try if you’ve been dealing with some low back pain lately!

Quote We Like

"Tomorrow becomes never. No matter how small the task, take the first step now."

-Tim Ferriss, author and podcaster