Most of us were taught early on that skipping your stretch before or after a workout is a bad idea. Forget it, and you’re supposedly asking for injuries, soreness, and a worse workout overall.
I’ll admit, after my P.E. days, I ignored that advice for years. I hated stretching. I wasn’t naturally flexible, and pushing myself into discomfort sounded unappealing. But that changed in my early twenties when I realized I couldn’t make it through a single rec league sports season without pulling something.
I pulled a groin during flag football. Then I pulled my hamstring in three straight basketball seasons. At that point, it felt like a pattern. And the most frustrating part? I was stretching before every game.
Still, I didn’t give up on stretching. I started taking it more seriously. It was rough at first. I hadn’t touched my toes since 2002, or at least it felt that way. But eventually, I found a rhythm. The more I stuck with it, the more I noticed the benefits. Over time, it even led to an unexpected love for yoga.
Now, my range of motion is better, and I can play sports without constantly worrying about pulling something. Looking back, I wish I had known the truth behind some of the common myths about stretching. Especially the ones that made me think doing it once in a while was enough to avoid injury or fix tight muscles.
So, here they are: four of the biggest stretching myths and what’s actually true.
Myth 1: Stretching will increase your performance.
This one is a bit of both. For most recreational athletes, dynamic stretching—like leg swings or arm circles—can help warm up your body and loosen your joints. That makes it easier to move and helps your body feel more ready.
But for serious athletes in sports like sprinting, high jumping, or heavy weightlifting, some types of stretching before competition can actually work against you. Static stretching, which means holding a stretch for 30 seconds or more, can make muscles feel weaker and tired. It can lctually reduce your ability to generate force.
Exercises like squats or bench presses already stretch your muscles as you do them. Adding extra stretching before those moves might just tire out the muscles you need and actually make your workout harder.
Myth 2: Stretching will keep you from getting injured.
There is some truth here, but not the whole story. Stretching helps with flexibility and blood flow. Both are good for your joints and muscles. Over time, this can lower your chance of injury.
Still, studies show that people who stretch aren’t always less likely to get hurt. You can still roll an ankle, overuse a muscle, or fall awkwardly, even if you stretch. This is especially true in fast-paced sports or ones that involve quick movements.
Professional athletes stretch all the time, and they still get injured. They have top trainers and access to the best recovery tools, but pulled muscles still happen. I’m not sure why I thought a five-minute stretch before flag football would keep me completely safe.
Myth 3: Stretching after a workout prevents soreness
Not quite. Stretching after a workout can feel good and help your body cool down, but it doesn’t stop soreness the next day. Research shows that it doesn’t do much to prevent delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS.
What helps more is having a consistent stretching routine. That means stretching a few times during the week, not just after workouts. Try to hold each stretch for 30 to 60 seconds and aim to stretch all the main muscle groups at least twice a week.
Myth #4: There is no such thing as over-stretching.
This is not true. Overstretching is real, and it can lead to injury. If you push too hard, you might strain or even tear a muscle.
Stretching should be slow and controlled. You want to feel a little discomfort, but never pain. If a muscle stays tight and doesn’t get better over time, there might be something deeper going on. In that case, it may be smarter to strengthen that area or check in with a healthcare provider.
Stretching is Sill Important
Even though it is not a magic fix for everything, stretching is still a big part of staying healthy and active. If you do it properly and keep up with it, it can help you move better, feel less stiff, and just have better overall body awareness.
