Prior to Exercise, Part I.

One of the strengths of popular blogs is their consistency. I apologize. I have not been very consistent in my blogging. My goal will be to narrow the space between entries with at least one large post a month, and two or three factoid/supplemental issues.

Today's topic is something I have been passionately against since discovering better alternatives in college: static stretching. Gone are the days of bending over and touching your toes, lifting a leg on a hand rail, or holding your elbow above your head for your "arms". One research article found that you lose 30% power for up to 10 minutes in the muscle that has been static stretched. If you are involved in any participation where proper muscle control is needed, you would be wise to avoid static stretching. Here's why:

We move dynamically. We simply cannot pinpoint one muscle and hope it activates properly while we perform a daily task. Whole body dynamic movements are more effective at activating the muscles you need engaged in order to avoid injury and maximize performance. 

Waste of time. 

Let's look at soccer and static stretching. Being an avid soccer fan, I find articles about anything and everything with soccer. I recently found a comparison study in which 20 male soccer players were split into 3 groups: static stretching group, dynamic stretching group, or a no stretching group. I'll skip through the hoopla of the article and show you the author's conclusion: "The results of the present study confirm that (I) static stretching is detrimental and (II) dynamic stretching is beneficial" (Chtourou, Aloui, and Souissi, 2013).

I know this is only one study, and research on static stretching has (unfortunately) varied for years now. Where I have found results is in the response to the dynamic stretches that the athletes or clients I have introduced it on. Football, track, soccer, basketball, golf, or  with a history of hamstring tears will benefit from dynamic movements. It doesn't matter the motion you need for your sports or activity, you need proper activation. I mentioned hamstring tears a moment ago: let's dig a littler further. Typically, most people have tight and lengthened hamstrings. Compared to normal tight muscles throughout the body, the hamstrings are lengthened but weaker than normal. Most tight/lengthened muscles are stronger than normal, however, the hamstring are one of the very few exceptions to the rule. Weak hamstrings are the result of our forward propulsion during walking, in which the hamstring are not utilized as much as the quadriceps. Therefore we are quadricep dominant. So, if you have a long and weak muscle what good does it do to that muscle to make it even longer? Most experts in the field of rehabilitation would say that the issue is not in the hamstring itself, so don't stretch it - strengthen it. It seems backwards to strengthen a muscle that is already lengthened.

Perfect form - except for the neck. She should be looking down and retracted with a neutral cervical spine

The hamstring are not the issue. The dysfunction is in the posture and positioning that the body employs for hours and hours throughout the day. Vladimir Janda described this postural dysfunction as "Lower Crossed Syndrome." He found that when hamstrings are weak, so to are the muscles controlling the abdominal cylinder, specifically the rectus abdominus muscle. On the other end of the spectrum is the quadriceps and the erector spinae. These muscles are tight and often laced with trigger points.

Strengthen glutes, hamstrings and abdominals.

Next Up: 
For my next post, I will be addressing the alternative to a static stretch. Stay tuned folks!

References 

Baechle, Thomas R., and Roger W. Earle. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning.

Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2008. Print.

Beck, Randy W. Functional Neurology for Practitioners of Manual Therapy. Edinburgh:

Churchill Livingstone, 2008. Print.

Hyde, Thomas E., and Marianne S. Gengenbach. Conservative Management of Sports Injuries.

Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett, 2007. Print.

Kisner, Carolyn, and Colby, Lynn Allen. Therapeutic Exercise: Foundations and Techniques.

Philadelphia: F.A. Davis, 2012. Print.