Inform if Stretch Remedy Is Proper for You

Stretching to achieve your toes was a typical each day warmup in our childhood PE lessons. That mentioned, as adults, it may be more durable to get round to stretching or know how you can do it accurately.

Nonetheless, stretching has a number of advantages past feeling oh-so-good on these tight muscle tissues. That could be one motive extra persons are turning to “stretch therapy”—aka, getting an expert that will help you stretch out.

“Assisted stretch therapy has increased in popularity these past few years,” says Thomas Pontinen, MD, doctor and co-founder of Midwest Anesthesia and Ache Specialists. “When we’re talking about stretch therapy, it’s often referring to therapeutic services that help individuals stretch more effectively and safely.”

It’s a part of a shifting pattern towards restoration: Practically half of Individuals say stretching and restorative yoga are essential to them, per a 2023 Mindbody report.

Actually, 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), stories CNN.

Right here’s what to know in regards to the apply 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 tissues in particular methods.

“Unlike traditional stretching you might do on your own, stretch therapy is often more structured and tailored to your specific needs,” 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 affords stretch remedy as a part of its Starport quality-of-life program for workers. These points could embrace:

• Tight muscle tissues
• 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 can be used to remedy limited tissue movement, joint imbalances, and similar concerns that place someone at risk for injury,” says Brittany Ferri, PhD, an occupational therapist with the Nationwide Council on Growing old.

For those who suppose that sounds a bit like bodily remedy, you’re not improper—however there are some distinct variations.

Whereas stretching is commonly part of bodily remedy, they’re not the identical, Dr. Ferri says. That’s as a result of bodily therapists sometimes have extra intensive coaching than stretch therapists, which they use to deal with well being situations which will contain decreases in movement, flexibility, energy, coordination, and extra.

Many bodily therapists provide stretching along with therapeutic workout routines, affected person training, neuromuscular re-education, gait coaching, ache administration modalities, and extra based mostly on the affected person’s considerations and priorities.

The advantages of stretch remedy

Conserving your muscle tissues limber, on the whole, comes with a number of perks. Actually, larger flexibility scores had been linked to a decrease threat of early dying in a 2024 research within the Scandinavian Journal of Medication & Science in Sports activities.

“Stretching increases circulation and can expedite muscle recovery and joint health, because blood carries the nutrients that keep tissues healthy,” Dr. Pontinen says. “It also increases bodily range of motion and reduces muscular tension.”

It’s doable that stretching with an skilled may help you benefit from these advantages, when you wouldn’t usually accomplish that by yourself.

“Stretching has many known benefits, but assisted stretching can make those benefits more accessible,” Dr. Pontinen provides. “Having an expert to guide you through each step is a great tool for keeping your stretches safe and effective.”

With a stretch therapist, you might also have the ability to carry out stretches with extra depth, endurance, and precision—taking you past primary toe touches or arm raises. A therapist additionally has the information that will help you goal the best muscle tissues based mostly in your distinctive wants.

“When you seek an expert’s help for stretch therapy rather than going it alone, you can also benefit from improved knowledge about your body’s mechanisms and how to listen to bodily signs of pain and discomfort,” Dr. Ferri says.

Drawbacks of stretch remedy

Analysis has but to again up most of the advantages of investing in assisted stretching for total well being, particularly when in comparison with common, reasonable bodily exercise, per Harvard Medical College.

Whereas deeper stretching may very well be useful for individuals who take part in sports activities like dance or gymnastics that require a substantial amount of flexibility, stretching studios might not be crucial for the on a regular basis individual. For those who’re only a bit stiff, merely training yoga or tai chi could make it easier to really feel extra limber.

There are additionally sure bodily drawbacks of stretch remedy in comparison with different modalities like bodily remedy.

“While stretch therapy focuses on flexibility and range of motion, it may not be enough to address underlying issues such as muscle imbalances, chronic pain, or serious injuries, which may require a more comprehensive approach like physical therapy,” Dr. Lassey says.

It additionally comes with the potential threat of overstretching, which might result in accidents like strains or sprains—so it’s necessary to discover a therapist who understands your physique and distinctive wants.

Remember the fact that you’ll have to see a stretch therapist repeatedly to see outcomes.

“Regular sessions can be expensive, and the costs can add up over time, especially if you’re seeing a specialized therapist,” Dr. Lassey provides. “Stretch therapy requires a regular commitment to see long-term benefits, which may not be feasible for everyone.”

“Stretching has many known benefits, but assisted stretching can make those benefits more accessible. Having an expert to guide you through each step is a great tool for keeping your stretches safe and effective.” —Thomas Pontinen, MD

Value and insurance coverage protection

The value of stretch remedy varies by supplier. “Stretch therapy typically costs between $50 and $150 per hour, depending on where you live and the therapist’s experience,” Dr. Ferri says.

Some stretch studios could provide reductions for a number of periods 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 usually doesn’t cover stretch therapy, though some plans might include it under alternative medicine benefits,” Dr. Ferri says.

Examine along with your insurance coverage firm to see if they provide any protection. Some insurance policy can also cowl your stretch remedy if it is a part of a broader bodily remedy program prescribed by a physician, Dr. Lassey provides.

Discover stretch remedy close to you

Go-to on-line directories like Zocdoc, Healthgrades, and Yelp may help information you to native stretch therapists or studios providing stretch remedy. Nonetheless, learn opinions and testimonials rigorously to get perception into the standard of companies.

“I’d call and ask for a place to share information about credentials, in addition to what makes them special versus the competition,” Dr. Pontinen says.

Examine what expertise the stretch therapists have at a given studio or fitness center. As an example, some could obtain a selected 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 present healthcare staff can also have ideas for stretch therapists or facilities.

“Ask your primary care physician, physical therapist, or fitness trainer for recommendations,” Dr. Lassey says. “Many gyms, yoga studios, and wellness centers also offer stretch therapy as part of their services.”

Backside line: Is stretch remedy best for you?

For those who’re searching for guided assist in bettering your flexibility, easing muscle rigidity, 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, when you’re experiencing continual ache, recovering from an harm, or coping with a selected situation, it’s higher to seek the advice of a bodily therapist or your physician first.