When Should You Do Stretching Exercises?

The question often arise: Should I stretch before or after exercise?" The simple answer is "both" and the reason is quite different for the two.

Before:
The purpose of stretching before exercise is to help prevent injury. Stretching does this by lengthening the muscles and tendons, which in turn increases our range of movement. This insures that we are able to move freely without restriction or injury occurring.

After:
Stretching after exercise has a different role. Its purpose is primarily to aid in the repair and recovery of he muscle and tendons. By the lengthening the muscles and tendons, stretching helps to prevent tight muscles and delayed muscle soreness that usually accompanies strenuous exercise.

After exercise this stretching is part of the cool-down. The cool-down will vary depending on the duration and intensity of the exercise undertaken, but it usually consist of 5-10 minutes of very light physical activity, and followed by 5-10 minutes of static stretching exercises.



Reference: Walker, B. (2013). The Anatomy of Sports Injuries. Chichester, England. Lotus Publishing.

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