*NOTE: This article was written by our Occupational Therapy level II student, Leah Klima. Part of her clinical rotation with us has involved knowledge translation and educational content creation. She’ll be an awesome OT one day. Connect with her on LinkedIn here.
Many of us have grown up being taught the classic stretches where we stay in one spot and pull a muscle group in preparation for an activity. But what if I told you there was another method of stretching? A method that may even be more effective and beneficial to your body before exercising. This brings us to the topic of static stretching vs dynamic. What is what, and which one is better?
Static stretching
A static stretch is defined as, “those in which you stand, sit or lie still and hold a single position for a period of time, up to about 45 seconds” (Bramble , 2019). These are often the stretches we think of when someone mentions they need to stretch.
Examples of static stretches include:
- Quadricep stretch
- Hamstring stretch
- Elevated calf stretch
Dynamic Stretching
A dynamic stretch is defined as, “controlled movements that prepare your muscles, ligaments and other soft tissues for performance and safety” (Bramble , 2019). These stretches can be easily confused with a warm up routine. Many individuals are already performing dynamic stretches within their workout without being aware of what controlled movements they are actually doing.
Examples of a dynamic stretch:
- Leg swings
- Torso twists
- Walking lunges
So which one is better?
Now that we are familiar with both forms of stretching, which one is more beneficial? Researchers have found that, “static stretching for 30 seconds neither improves nor reduces muscular performance and that dynamic stretching enhances muscular performance.” (Yamaguchi & Ishii, 2005). To further this point, additional researchers have found that a dynamic stretch is more beneficial and effective compared to static for an individual who may be engaging in activities that involve agility, balance, fast movement, and running (Chatzopoulos et al., 2014).
An important factor to point out is that static stretching is not a “bad” stretch, rather it is just seen as less effective in preparation for certain activities. If your body is feeling tight, or even for injury prevention, static stretching is a great method to keep our muscles healthy. Used in the correct way, both dynamic and static stretching can be used to benefit your health and well being.
Summary
Any form of stretching, given the right amount of time, is beneficial to the individual compared to no stretching. For proper stretching durations, please refer to this article. However, when we are comparing static stretches to dynamic in preparation for activities, dynamic stretches should be considered a more favorable option.
If you are experiencing prolonged pain or stiffness and need help recovering functional movement patterns, please seek help by visiting your local physical or occupational therapy clinics. And if you are in the Augusta area, and want to schedule an evaluation, we would be happy to have you. You can book an appointment online here.
[1] Bramble , L.-A. (2019, April 19). Static vs. dynamic stretching: What are they and which should you do? Hospital for Special Surgery. https://www.hss.edu/article_static_dynamic_stretching.asp#:~:text=Static%20stretches% 20are%20those%20in,tissues%20for%20performance%20and%20safety
[2] Chatzopoulos, D., Galazoulas, C., Patikas, D., & Kotzamanidis, C. (2014). Acute effects of static and dynamic stretching on balance, agility, reaction time and movement time. Journal of sports science & medicine, 13(2), 403–409. Available here.
[3] Yamaguchi, T., & Ishii, K. (2005). Effects of static stretching for 30 seconds and dynamic stretching on leg extension power. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 19(3), 677. https://doi.org/10.1519/15044.1
