How to Tell if Stretch Therapy Is Right for You

Stretching to succeed in your toes was a typical day by day warmup in our childhood PE courses. That mentioned, as adults, it may be more durable to get round to stretching or know how you can do it appropriately.

Nonetheless, stretching has several benefits past feeling oh-so-good on these tight muscle tissue. That could be one cause extra individuals are turning to “stretch remedy”—aka, getting an expert that will help you stretch out.

“Assisted stretch remedy has elevated in reputation these previous few years,” says Thomas Pontinen, MD, doctor and co-founder of Midwest Anesthesia and Pain Specialists. “After we’re speaking about stretch remedy, it’s usually referring to therapeutic providers that assist people stretch extra successfully and safely.”

It’s a part of a shifting development towards restoration: Practically half of People say stretching and restorative yoga are essential to them, per a 2023 Mindbody report.

In actual fact, stretching class reservations at gyms elevated 91 % in 2023 from the earlier 12 months—and stretching studio franchise StretchLab opened its four-hundredth studio in November 2023 (and had agreements in place for 900 extra studios as of early 2024), studies CNN.

Right here’s what to know concerning the apply earlier than you signal as much as get stretched.

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What’s stretch remedy?

Briefly, stretch remedy is when a educated specialist helps you stretch your muscle tissue in particular methods.

“Not like conventional stretching you may do by yourself, stretch remedy is commonly extra structured and tailor-made to your particular wants,” says Eva Lassey, DPT, physician of bodily remedy and founder and CEO of DrSensory.

It could assist with a number of musculoskeletal points, per NASA, which affords stretch remedy as a part of its Starport quality-of-life program for workers. These points could embody:

• Tight muscle tissue
• Lack of mobility
• Poor flexibility
• Ache

Stretch remedy may also increase your bodily consciousness by serving to you higher perceive your physique, limitations, and correct motion patterns.

“It may be used to treatment restricted tissue motion, joint imbalances, and comparable issues that place somebody in danger for damage,” says Brittany Ferri, PhD, an occupational therapist with the National Council on Aging.

For those who suppose that sounds a bit like bodily remedy, you’re not mistaken—however there are some distinct variations.

Whereas stretching is commonly part of bodily remedy, they’re not the identical, Dr. Ferri says. That’s as a result of bodily therapists sometimes have extra in depth coaching than stretch therapists, which they use to deal with well being situations which will contain decreases in movement, flexibility, energy, coordination, and extra.

Many bodily therapists supply stretching along with therapeutic workout routines, affected person schooling, neuromuscular re-education, gait coaching, ache administration modalities, and extra primarily based on the affected person’s issues and priorities.

The advantages of stretch remedy

Retaining your muscle tissue limber, generally, comes with a number of perks. In actual fact, greater flexibility scores had been linked to a decrease threat of early loss of life in a 2024 research within the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.

“Stretching will increase circulation and may expedite muscle recovery and joint well being, as a result of blood carries the vitamins that hold tissues wholesome,” Dr. Pontinen says. “It additionally will increase bodily vary of movement and reduces muscular rigidity.”

It’s attainable that stretching with an skilled might help you make the most of these advantages, when you wouldn’t usually accomplish that by yourself.

“Stretching has many identified advantages, however assisted stretching could make these advantages extra accessible,” Dr. Pontinen provides. “Having an skilled to information you thru every step is a superb instrument for preserving your stretches protected and efficient.”

With a stretch therapist, you might also be capable to carry out stretches with extra depth, persistence, and precision—taking you past primary toe touches or arm raises. A therapist additionally has the information that will help you goal the proper muscle tissue primarily based in your distinctive wants.

“Whenever you search an skilled’s assist for stretch remedy relatively than going it alone, you too can profit from improved information about your physique’s mechanisms and how you can take heed to bodily indicators of ache and discomfort,” Dr. Ferri says.

Drawbacks of stretch remedy

Analysis has but to again up lots of the advantages of investing in assisted stretching for total well being, particularly when in comparison with common, average bodily exercise, per Harvard Medical School.

Whereas deeper stretching might be useful for individuals who take part in sports activities like dance or gymnastics that require a substantial amount of flexibility, stretching studios is probably not essential for the on a regular basis individual. For those who’re only a bit stiff, merely practicing yoga or tai chi could enable you really feel extra limber.

There are additionally sure bodily drawbacks of stretch remedy in comparison with different modalities like bodily remedy.

“Whereas stretch remedy focuses on flexibility and vary of movement, it is probably not sufficient to deal with underlying points reminiscent of muscle imbalances, power ache, or critical accidents, which can require a extra complete method like bodily remedy,” Dr. Lassey says.

It additionally comes with the potential threat of overstretching, which might result in accidents like strains or sprains—so it’s vital to discover a therapist who understands your physique and distinctive wants.

Needless to say you’ll have to see a stretch therapist repeatedly to see outcomes.

“Common classes might be costly, and the prices can add up over time, particularly when you’re seeing a specialised therapist,” Dr. Lassey provides. “Stretch remedy requires an everyday dedication to see long-term advantages, which is probably not possible for everybody.”

“Stretching has many identified advantages, however assisted stretching could make these advantages extra accessible. Having an skilled to information you thru every step is a superb instrument for preserving your stretches protected and efficient.” —Thomas Pontinen, MD

Price and insurance coverage protection

The value of stretch remedy varies by supplier. “Stretch remedy sometimes prices between $50 and $150 per hour, relying on the place you reside and the therapist’s expertise,” Dr. Ferri says.

Some stretch studios could supply reductions for a number of classes or preliminary consultations at a decrease price, which can be useful in case your insurance coverage doesn’t cowl it (which is prone to be the case).

“Insurance coverage often doesn’t cowl stretch remedy, although some plans may embody it below different drugs advantages,” Dr. Ferri says.

Verify together with your insurance coverage firm to see if they provide any protection. Some insurance coverage may additionally cowl your stretch remedy if it is a part of a broader bodily remedy program prescribed by a physician, Dr. Lassey provides.

Discover stretch remedy close to you

Go-to on-line directories like Zocdoc, Healthgrades, and Yelp might help information you to native stretch therapists or studios providing stretch remedy. Nonetheless, learn critiques and testimonials rigorously to get perception into the standard of providers.

“I’d name and ask for a spot to share details about credentials, along with what makes them particular versus the competitors,” Dr. Pontinen says.

Verify what expertise the stretch therapists have at a given studio or fitness center. For example, some could obtain a particular variety of hours of hands-on coaching, have train science levels or yoga certifications, and even carry bodily remedy levels, per the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Your current healthcare staff may additionally have ideas for stretch therapists or facilities.

“Ask your major care doctor, bodily therapist, or health coach for suggestions,” Dr. Lassey says. “Many gyms, yoga studios, and wellness facilities additionally supply stretch remedy as a part of their providers.”

Backside line: Is stretch remedy best for you?

For those who’re searching for guided assist in improving your flexibility, easing muscle rigidity, or boosting your athletic efficiency for sports activities like dance, stretch remedy is perhaps helpful (simply be ready to cowl it out of pocket). Nonetheless, when you’re experiencing power ache, recovering from an damage, or coping with a particular situation, it’s higher to seek the advice of a bodily therapist or your physician first.