Skip to content
Fullscript leaf logo Sign in
Fullscript logo
Fullscript leaf logo
  • Our platform
    • Practitioner software
    • Pricing
    • Integrations
    • Patients on Fullscript
    • Book a demo
  • Learn
    • Spotlight
    • Protocols
    • Wellness blog
    • Practice resources
    • Webinars
    • Ingredient library
    • Practicing virtually
  • Support
    • Practitioner support
    • Patient help
    • Chat with us
Sign in Create account
Diet & Lifestyle
—

Top Benefits of Stretching Exercises

June 17, 2021
Fact checked
Written by Karolyn Gazella
Medically reviewed by
Dr. Christopher Knee, ND
  1. Wellness blog
  2. Top Benefits of Stretching Exercises

With exercise, there may be a tendency to focus on more vigorous activities like hiking, jogging, swimming, sports, or weightlifting. However, we should never underestimate the power of stretching. While stretching won’t improve overall endurance or strength like those other more strenuous activities, stretching exercises have many significant health benefits. (1)

Health benefits of stretching exercises

While there are various types of stretching, static stretching is the most common type from which everyone can benefit. Whereas dynamic stretching is more active and typically done by athletes or as a warm up before sporting events or vigorous exercise, (6) static stretching exercises are performed by moving muscles in a slow controlled manner to their greatest possible length, holding that position for a period of time, and then repeating that same movement. (5)

Surprisingly, the concept of static muscle stretching is fairly new. Stretching exercises were first introduced in the 1980s in Japan as part of sports coaching which led to a stretching popularity boom as a result of the many health benefits experience by athletes, including:

  • Decreased muscle tension
  • Enhanced athletic performance
  • Improved circulation
  • Increased flexibility and range of motion
  • Injury prevention
  • Muscle pain relief (4)

 

Woman siting at a desk stretching

Incorporate stretching exercises into your daily routine to increase flexibility, decrease muscle tension, improve circulation, and more.

 

Who can benefit from stretching exercises?

Nearly everyone can benefit from stretching exercises—adults, children, elderly, and even people with certain health issues. Shorter muscle can contract and spasm, leading to pain and discomfort. Individuals who experience muscle tension can benefit from stretching exercises as these exercises lengthen muscles. (6)

Physical rehabilitation

Stretching exercises are commonly incorporated into rehabilitation programs for individuals recovering from orthopedic surgery, those who have had a stroke or spinal cord injury, or individuals trying to manage back, knee, or shoulder pain. (6)

Balance and fall prevention

A 2016 study demonstrated that lower extremity stretching exercises improved balance and reduced the number of falls in an elderly group of individuals with an average age of 61 years. (7)

Fatigue

People experiencing fatigue may benefit from adding stretching exercises to their daily routine. A 2015 systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials demonstrated that stretching as a part of an exercise intervention program helped significantly improve cancer-related fatigue. (3)

Cardiometabolic conditions

People who have been diagnosed with cardiovascular health issues or diabetes or those trying to reduce the risk of these conditions may also benefit from stretching exercises. According to a 2020 study featured in The Journal of Physiology, stretching exercises decreased arterial stiffness and increased blood flow and dilation, providing potential benefits for people with heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. (2)

The best news about stretching is that anyone can do it, and it’s simple to get started.

Getting started with stretching exercises

Some exercise programs like Pilates or yoga automatically include stretching as a part of the routine. Taking a stretching exercises for beginners class is one way to start experiencing the benefits of stretching exercises.

If you plan to incorporate stretching exercises in your daily routine at home, be sure to do it safely. The American Heart Association offers these tips:

  • Always relax and breathe normally while stretching.
  • A stretch should be smooth and slow. Avoid bouncing or jerking movements.
  • Hold the stretch for ten to 30 seconds, and repeat each stretch three to five times.
  • Never lock your joints in a straight position. Keep joints slightly bent to help avoid injury.
  • As you become more flexible, try reaching farther with each stretching exercise.
  • A mild pulling feeling during a stretch is normal but if you experience sharp, stabbing pain or any joint pain, you should stop stretching because that means you are going too far. (1)

Muscles are more easily stretched when they are warm, so do your stretching exercises after you’ve warmed up your muscles—even a quick walk will help you achieve this. (8)

If you have had a hip or knee replacement, check with your doctor or a physical therapist before doing lower body stretches. If you can’t get up easily off the floor, in addition to getting guidance from a doctor or physical therapist, consider stretching with a friend or sitting on a chair. (8)

The bottom line

Stretching exercises offer many health benefits, including decreased muscle tension, enhanced performance, improved circulation, increased flexibility, injury prevention, and muscle pain relief. With so many benefits, it just makes sense to incorporate stretching activities in your daily routine.

If you are new to stretching exercises, consider consulting with an integrative healthcare professional for additional guidance before embarking on a new stretching routine.

Fullscript simplifies supplement dispensing

Create your dispensary today I'm a patient
References
  1. American Heart Association. (2018, April 18). Flexibility Exercises (Stretching). https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/flexibility-exercise-stretching
  2. Bisconti, A. V., Longo, S., Venturelli, M., Coratella, G., Limonta, E., Doria, C., Rampichini, S., & Esposito, F. (2020). Evidence for improved systemic and local vascular function after long-term passive static stretching of musculoskeletal system. The Journal of Physiology, 598(17), 2645-3666.
  3. Meneses-Echavez, J. F, Gonzalez-Jimenez, E., & Ramirez-Velez, R. (2015). Effects of supervised multimodal exercise intervention on cancer-related fatigue: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Biomed Research International, 2015.
  4. Nakamura, K., Kodama, T., & Mukaino, Y. (2014). Effects of active individual muscle stretching on muscle function. J Phys Ther Sci, 26(3), 341-344.
  5. O’Sullivan, K., Murray, E., & Sainsbury, D. (2009). The effect of warm-up static stretching and dynamic stretching on hamstring flexibility in previously injured subjects. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 10(37).
  6. Page, P. (2012). Current concepts in muscle stretching for exercise and rehabilitation. Int J Sports Phys Ther, 7(1), 109-119.
  7. Reddy, R. S., & Alahmari, K. A. (2016). Effect of lower extremity stretching exercises on balance in geriatric population. Int J Health Sci, 10(3), 389-395.
  8. US Department of Veterans Affairs. (2021, Accessed March 31). Physical Activity Handouts P33 Version 5.0. https://www.move.va.gov/docs/NewHandouts/PhysicalActivity/P33_SampleFlexibilityProgramForBeginners.pdf

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Disclaimer

The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. Consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website.

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Prev Next
Back to main wellness blog page

Get more resources for your practice

Protocols
Practice resources
Ingredient library
Webinars

Share

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Fullscript content philosophy

At Fullscript, we are committed to curating accurate, and reliable educational content for practitioners and patients alike. Our educational offerings cover a broad range of topics related to integrative medicine, such as supplement ingredients, diet, lifestyle, and health conditions.

Medically reviewed by expert practitioners and our internal Integrative Medical Advisory team, all Fullscript content adheres to the following guidelines:

  1. In order to provide unbiased and transparent education, information is based on a research review and obtained from trustworthy sources, such as peer-reviewed articles and government websites. All medical statements are linked to the original reference and all sources of information are disclosed within the article.
  2. Information about supplements is always based on ingredients. No specific products are mentioned or promoted within educational content.
  3. A strict policy against plagiarism is maintained; all our content is unique, curated by our team of writers and editors at Fullscript. Attribution to individual writers and editors is clearly stated in each article.
  4. Resources for patients are intended to be educational and do not replace the relationship between health practitioners and patients. In all content, we clearly recommend that readers refer back to their healthcare practitioners for all health-related questions.
  5. All content is updated on a regular basis to account for new research and industry trends, and the last update date is listed at the top of every article.
  6. Potential conflicts of interest are clearly disclosed.
Read more
Fullscript logo

We're certified carbon-neutral. It's part of our commitment to helping people get better.

American flag - toggles to show american specific contentUnited States
Canadian flag - toggles to show canada specific contentCanada
Product
  • Practitioner software
  • Integrations
  • Pricing
  • Patients
  • Supplement quality
  • Treatment adherence
  • Catalog
  • Wholesale
Company
  • Spotlight
  • About Fullscript
  • Collective
  • Leadership
  • Culture guide
  • Careers
  • Engineering
  • News
Support
  • Practitioner support
  • Patient help
  • Testimonials
  • General FAQ
  • Patient shipping
  • Wholesale shipping

© Fullscript 2022. All rights reserved.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Customer Support Policy
  • Acceptable Use Policy
  • California Privacy Notice
Send this to a friend