Types of Stretching: 7 Different Techniques to Foster Flexibility (Everyday Health)

Posted: Nov 14, 2023 in In the News

This article originally appeared in Everyday Health on November 14, 2023.

Types of Stretching: 7 Different Techniques to Foster Flexibility

By Lauren Bedosky

Tired of feeling stiff, sore, or tight? Stretching — a type of exercise that improves flexibility and mobility by lengthening your muscles, via extension or movement — may help.

In fact, stretching is a must, not just for athletes but for anyone who wants to feel good (read: less pain) in life. According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), everyone should stretch at least two to three times per week, and establishing a daily stretching habit is most effective.

“The goal of stretching is to decrease tension and improve flexibility in your muscles to improve the range of motion of our joints,” says Daniel Giordano, DPT, CSCS, a physical therapist at Bespoke Treatments in New York City. Making stretching a staple in your health and fitness routine then, in turn, promotes longevity, helps prevent injury, improves the experience of aging, and more.

But stretching isn’t just about bending over to touch your toes. There are several stretching methods, and each has slightly different effects and benefits. Moreover, certain stretching types are better performed before a workout than after — and vice versa.

How Passive Stretching and Active Stretching Differ

The various stretching methods can be categorized in a number of ways. However, it may be easiest to break them into two main buckets: passive and active.

According to a research review, passive stretching is any technique in which the lengthened muscle doesn’t contract (tighten or shorten), while active stretching involves muscle contraction at some point during the stretch.

Generally speaking, active stretching methods are ideal for preparing your muscles for exercise, whereas passive stretching methods are best saved for after your workout, says Frederick E. Soliman, DO, a primary care sports medicine physician and researcher at Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute in Orlando, Florida, and head primary care sports physician for the University of Central Florida.

Types of Passive Stretching

Static Stretching

What It Is: This is the most common type of stretching, according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE). “Static stretching involves holding the stretch at its end range for a period of time, usually 30 seconds to two minutes,” says Giordano. A classic example of a static stretch is the hamstring stretch.

Try It: Place one leg on a low stool with your hips and feet facing forward. Then, lean forward from your hips until you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh. Make sure to keep your back flat and knee straight throughout the stretch, per the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS).

Benefits: Static stretching can improve flexibility and decrease tension when performed as part of a post-exercise cooldown, Giordano notes. It can also increase range of motion. In fact, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in January 2021 in Sports Medicine, static stretching not only increases range of motion in the stretched muscle or joint, but it also improves range of motion in muscles or joints that aren’t being stretched.

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