Stretch smarter not harder

The truth is we are all BUSY but we still need to make time for things that gives us longevity in this beautiful life. If you can only implement one thing in your day - then do stretching!

There are many benefits:

1. Injury Prevention & Flexibility

• Static stretching alone before activity has little effect on preventing injuries (~0–5% reduction in risk) but dynamic stretching can lower risk of muscle strains by up to 30% when included in warm-ups.

2. Flexibility Gains

• Regular stretching (≥3x/week) can improve muscle flexibility by 10–20% within 6–8 weeks.

• A study found hamstring flexibility improved by 18% after 6 weeks of consistent stretching.

3. Range of Motion (ROM)

• Dynamic stretching before exercise can increase joint ROM by 7–10% immediately.

• Long-term static stretching programs can increase ROM by 15–25% depending on muscle group.

4. Muscle Performance

• Long static stretches (>60 sec per muscle) right before strength training can temporarily decrease muscle power by 4–7%.

• Shorter stretches (<30 sec) typically cause minimal performance loss (<2%).

5. Recovery & Soreness

• Stretching after exercise reduces perceived muscle stiffness by 10–15%.

• However, research shows it does not significantly reduce DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) — effect is often <5%.

6. Circulation & Blood Flow

• Stretching can increase blood flow to muscles by up to 20%, helping deliver oxygen and nutrients during recovery.

7. Back Pain Relief

• Stretch + strengthening programs can reduce chronic low back pain symptoms by 30–60% over 8–12 weeks.

What you can do:

• Use dynamic stretching before workouts for mobility & injury prevention.

• Use static stretching after workouts or in separate sessions for flexibility and recovery.

• Consistency matters more than duration — even 10–15 minutes/day can yield significant benefits.

At Salve bodywork + Massage in Kansas City we incorporate stretching into your sessions at your request!