Stretching is one of those things that everyone thinks is amazing, and it is! However, for a treatment to be effective, it must be applied at the right time in the right way. There is no one treatment or method, no matter how great it is, that is good for all situations. At Body Fix Therapies we are constantly talking to our clients about stretching, making sure they are doing it correctly and at the right time.

Orthopedically, stretching is a preventative mechanism. If you stretch regularly and appropriately, it’s immensely beneficial for your health. It helps prevent injuries and lessens the severity of an injury if and when one occurs. Once you get injured, stretching is a great introductory way to rehabilitate the area. However, 98% of the time, stretching immediately after an acute injury is not the correct treatment.

When you stretch right after musculoskeletal damage occurs, you go against your body’s healing process. Following an injury, your body shrinks down in to stabilize and protect itself. Moving that area interferes with the healing process. Stretching during the stabilization period tricks your body into thinking you are going to hurt it more and engages the protective mechanisms even further. This will cause more even pain from muscle tension and can even also cause micro-tears in your facia resulting in more damage.

Stretching at the wrong time can make things a lot worse! You don’t have the kinesiological knowledge that a bodyworker does, but our master therapist is available to help. You can call Kym for free, and she can help you decide if stretching is the right course of action for your situation.

If you have any questions at all, please call Body Fix Therapies at (916) 488-4223 and ask to talk to Kym. She will do a free phone consult with you to find out if you should be stretching, how much you should be stretching and when. You can also contact us here.