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 standard day by day warmup in our childhood PE lessons. That stated, as adults, it may be tougher to get round to stretching or know easy methods to do it appropriately.

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

“Assisted stretch remedy has elevated in recognition these previous few years,” says Thomas Pontinen, MD, doctor and co-founder of Midwest Anesthesia and Ache Specialists. “Once we’re speaking about stretch remedy, it’s typically 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 Individuals say stretching and restorative yoga are essential to them, per a 2023 Mindbody report.

The truth is, stretching class reservations at gyms elevated 91 % 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 concerning the observe earlier than you signal as much as get stretched.

What’s stretch remedy?

In brief, stretch remedy is when a skilled specialist helps you stretch your muscle groups in particular methods.

“In contrast to conventional stretching you may do by yourself, stretch remedy is usually extra structured and tailor-made to your particular wants,” 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 presents stretch remedy as a part of its Starport quality-of-life program for workers. These points could embody:

• Tight muscle groups
• 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 comparable considerations that place somebody in danger for harm,” 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 unsuitable—however there are some distinct variations.

Whereas stretching is usually 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 circumstances which will contain decreases in movement, flexibility, energy, coordination, and extra.

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

The advantages of stretch remedy

Preserving your muscle groups limber, generally, comes with a number of perks. The truth is, increased flexibility scores had been linked to a decrease danger of early dying in a 2024 research within the Scandinavian Journal of Medication & 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 maintain tissues wholesome,” Dr. Pontinen says. “It additionally will increase bodily vary of movement and reduces muscular pressure.”

It’s potential that stretching with an professional will help you reap the benefits of these advantages, for those who wouldn’t usually achieve this by yourself.

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

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

“Once you search an professional’s assist for stretch remedy moderately than going it alone, you can too profit from improved information about your physique’s mechanisms and easy methods to take heed to bodily indicators of ache 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, average bodily exercise, per Harvard Medical Faculty.

Whereas deeper stretching may very well be useful for many who take part in sports activities like dance or gymnastics that require quite a lot of flexibility, stretching studios will not be crucial for the on a regular basis individual. For those who’re only a bit stiff, merely working towards yoga or tai chi could assist you to 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 will not be sufficient to handle underlying points reminiscent of muscle imbalances, continual ache, or severe accidents, which can require a extra complete method like bodily remedy,” Dr. Lassey says.

It additionally comes with the potential danger 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 that you’ll must see a stretch therapist repeatedly to see outcomes.

“Common classes will be costly, and the prices can add up over time, particularly for those who’re seeing a specialised therapist,” Dr. Lassey provides. “Stretch remedy requires an everyday dedication to see long-term advantages, which will not be possible for everybody.”

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

Price and insurance coverage protection

The value 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 could supply 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 more likely to be the case).

“Insurance coverage normally doesn’t cowl stretch remedy, although some plans may embody it below various medication advantages,” Dr. Ferri says.

Examine together with your insurance coverage firm to see if they provide any protection. Some insurance policy might also 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 will help information you to native stretch therapists or studios providing stretch remedy. Nonetheless, learn evaluations 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.

Examine what expertise the stretch therapists have at a given studio or health club. As an illustration, 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 current healthcare staff might also have ideas for stretch therapists or facilities.

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

Backside line: Is stretch remedy best for you?

For those who’re on the lookout for guided assist in bettering your flexibility, easing muscle pressure, 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, for those who’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.