If You’ve Tried Everything But Your Muscles Are Still *So* Tight, Assisted Stretch Therapy May Be Just What You Need

Stretching to achieve your toes was a typical every day warmup in our childhood PE courses. That mentioned, as adults, it may be tougher to get round to stretching or know the best way to do it appropriately.

Nevertheless, stretching has a number of advantages past feeling oh-so-good on these tight muscle tissues. Which may be one purpose extra individuals are turning to “stretch remedy”—aka, getting knowledgeable that will help you stretch out.

“Assisted stretch remedy has elevated in reputation these previous few years,” says Thomas Pontinen, MD, doctor and co-founder of Midwest Anesthesia and Ache Specialists. “After we’re speaking about stretch remedy, it’s usually referring to therapeutic providers that assist people stretch extra successfully and safely.”

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

In truth, stretching class reservations at gyms elevated 91 p.c in 2023 from the earlier yr—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), reviews CNN.

Right here’s what to know concerning the observe earlier than you signal as much as get stretched.

What’s stretch remedy?

Briefly, stretch remedy is when a skilled specialist helps you stretch your muscle tissues in particular methods.

“In contrast to conventional stretching you may do by yourself, stretch remedy is commonly extra structured and tailor-made to your particular wants,” says Eva Lassey, DPT, physician of bodily remedy and founder and CEO of DrSensory.

It could 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 might embody:

• Tight muscle tissues
• Lack of mobility
• Poor flexibility
• Ache

Stretch remedy can even enhance your bodily consciousness by serving to you higher perceive your physique, limitations, and correct motion patterns.

“It may be used to treatment restricted tissue motion, joint imbalances, and related issues that place somebody in danger for damage,” says Brittany Ferri, PhD, an occupational therapist with the Nationwide Council on Growing old.

When you suppose that sounds a bit like bodily remedy, you’re not flawed—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, power, 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 issues and priorities.

The advantages of stretch remedy

Preserving your muscle tissues limber, normally, comes with a number of perks. In truth, increased flexibility scores have been linked to a decrease threat of early demise in a 2024 research within the Scandinavian Journal of Drugs & Science in Sports activities.

“Stretching will increase circulation and may expedite muscle restoration and joint well being, as a result of blood carries the vitamins that preserve tissues wholesome,” Dr. Pontinen says. “It additionally will increase bodily vary of movement and reduces muscular stress.”

It’s potential that stretching with an professional may help you benefit from these advantages, in the event you wouldn’t usually accomplish that by yourself.

“Stretching has many identified advantages, however assisted stretching could make these advantages extra accessible,” Dr. Pontinen provides. “Having an professional to information you thru every step is a good software for conserving your stretches secure and efficient.”

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

“If you search an professional’s assist for stretch remedy relatively than going it alone, it’s also possible to profit from improved data about your physique’s mechanisms and the best way to take heed to bodily indicators of ache and discomfort,” Dr. Ferri says.

Drawbacks of stretch remedy

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

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 is probably not mandatory for the on a regular basis individual. When you’re only a bit stiff, merely working towards yoga or tai chi might aid you really feel extra limber.

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

“Whereas stretch remedy focuses on flexibility and vary of movement, it is probably not sufficient to handle underlying points equivalent to muscle imbalances, power ache, or severe accidents, which can require a extra complete strategy like bodily remedy,” Dr. Lassey says.

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

Needless to say you’ll have to see a stretch therapist repeatedly to see outcomes.

“Common classes may be costly, and the prices can add up over time, particularly in the event you’re seeing a specialised therapist,” Dr. Lassey provides. “Stretch remedy requires a daily dedication to see long-term advantages, which is probably not possible for everybody.”

“Stretching has many identified advantages, however assisted stretching could make these advantages extra accessible. Having an professional to information you thru every step is a good software for conserving your stretches secure and efficient.” —Thomas Pontinen, MD

Value and insurance coverage protection

The worth of stretch remedy varies by supplier. “Stretch remedy sometimes prices between $50 and $150 per hour, relying on the place you reside and the therapist’s expertise,” Dr. Ferri says.

Some stretch studios might provide reductions for a number of classes 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 coverage often doesn’t cowl stretch remedy, although some plans may embody it below various drugs advantages,” Dr. Ferri says.

Verify together with your insurance coverage firm to see if they provide any protection. Some insurance policy may additionally cowl your stretch remedy if it is a part of a broader bodily remedy program prescribed by a health care provider, 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. Nevertheless, learn opinions and testimonials fastidiously to get perception into the standard of providers.

“I’d name and ask for a spot to share details about credentials, along with what makes them particular versus the competitors,” Dr. Pontinen says.

Verify what expertise the stretch therapists have at a given studio or fitness center. As an example, some might 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 current healthcare crew may additionally have ideas for stretch therapists or facilities.

“Ask your main care doctor, bodily therapist, or health coach for suggestions,” Dr. Lassey says. “Many gyms, yoga studios, and wellness facilities additionally provide stretch remedy as a part of their providers.”

Backside line: Is stretch remedy best for you?

When you’re searching for guided assist in bettering your flexibility, easing muscle stress, or boosting your athletic efficiency for sports activities like dance, stretch remedy is perhaps useful (simply be ready to cowl it out of pocket). Nevertheless, in the event you’re experiencing power ache, recovering from an damage, or coping with a selected situation, it’s higher to seek the advice of a bodily therapist or your physician first.