To Stretch or Not to Stretch? The Answer Is Elastic
Good article from the NY Times:
www.nytimes.com/.../13Best.html
Excerpt:
The truth is that after dozens of studies and years of debate, no one really knows whether stretching helps, harms, or does anything in particular for performance or injury rates. Yet most athletes remain convinced that stretching helps, and recently more and more have felt a sort of social pressure to show that they are limber, in part due to the popularity of yoga. Flexibility has become another area where many athletes want to excel.
Parents
Former Member
I never stretch unless it is to relieve a cramp. I'm still extremely flexible (at 66) and can easily lay my flat palms on the pool deck with stiff legs.
I started reading publications about stretching years ago and was surprised to find an article by one of the Australian swim groups that recommended that their swimmers NOT stretch within hours of a competition since their research seemed to show that it hidered maximum performance.
I look at what's on the web fairly regularly and would have to say that the evidence seems mixed. However, many tests seem not to show improved performance and some even seem to show increased probability of injury, particularly among runners.
I never stretch unless it is to relieve a cramp. I'm still extremely flexible (at 66) and can easily lay my flat palms on the pool deck with stiff legs.
I started reading publications about stretching years ago and was surprised to find an article by one of the Australian swim groups that recommended that their swimmers NOT stretch within hours of a competition since their research seemed to show that it hidered maximum performance.
I look at what's on the web fairly regularly and would have to say that the evidence seems mixed. However, many tests seem not to show improved performance and some even seem to show increased probability of injury, particularly among runners.
