How to Tell if Stretch Therapy Is Right for You

Stretching to succeed in your toes was a standard 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 methods to do it accurately.

Nevertheless, stretching has several benefits past feeling oh-so-good on these tight muscle groups. Which may be one cause extra persons 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. “Once we’re speaking about stretch remedy, it’s usually referring to therapeutic companies that assist people stretch extra successfully and safely.”

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

In truth, stretching class reservations at gyms elevated 91 % in 2023 from the earlier yr—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), stories CNN.

Right here’s what to know concerning the observe 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 groups in particular methods.

“In contrast to 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 gives stretch remedy as a part of its Starport quality-of-life program for workers. These points might embrace:

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

Stretch remedy can even 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 related considerations that place somebody in danger for damage,” says Brittany Ferri, PhD, an occupational therapist with the National Council on Aging.

In case you assume that sounds a bit like bodily remedy, you’re not improper—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 usually have extra intensive coaching than stretch therapists, which they use to deal with well being circumstances which will contain decreases in movement, flexibility, power, coordination, and extra.

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

The advantages of stretch remedy

Retaining your muscle groups limber, on the whole, comes with a number of perks. In truth, greater flexibility scores had been linked to a decrease threat of early dying in a 2024 examine within the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.

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

It’s doable that stretching with an skilled will help you benefit from these advantages, in case you wouldn’t usually achieve this by yourself.

“Stretching has many recognized 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 software for protecting your stretches protected and efficient.”

With a stretch therapist, you may additionally 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 data that will help you goal the suitable muscle groups based mostly in your distinctive wants.

“Whenever you search an skilled’s assist for stretch remedy quite than going it alone, you may as well profit from improved data about your physique’s mechanisms and methods to hearken 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 general well being, particularly when in comparison with common, reasonable bodily exercise, per Harvard Medical School.

Whereas deeper stretching could possibly be useful for individuals who take part in sports activities like dance or gymnastics that require a substantial amount of flexibility, stretching studios will not be obligatory for the on a regular basis particular person. In case you’re only a bit stiff, merely practicing yoga or tai chi might enable you to 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 will not be sufficient to deal with underlying points resembling muscle imbalances, persistent ache, or severe accidents, which can require a extra complete strategy 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.

Take into account that you’ll have to see a stretch therapist repeatedly to see outcomes.

“Common periods may be costly, and the prices can add up over time, particularly in case you’re seeing a specialised therapist,” Dr. Lassey provides. “Stretch remedy requires a daily dedication to see long-term advantages, which will not be possible for everybody.”

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

Value and insurance coverage protection

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

Some stretch studios might supply reductions for a number of periods or preliminary consultations at a decrease fee, which can be useful in case your insurance coverage doesn’t cowl it (which is more likely to be the case).

“Insurance coverage normally doesn’t cowl stretch remedy, although some plans may embrace it beneath various medication advantages,” Dr. Ferri says.

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

Discover stretch remedy close to you

Go-to on-line directories like Zocdoc, Healthgrades, and Yelp will help information you to native stretch therapists or studios providing stretch remedy. Nevertheless, learn evaluations and testimonials fastidiously to get perception into the standard of companies.

“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 might obtain a selected 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 workforce may have options 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 companies.”

Backside line: Is stretch remedy best for you?

In case you’re searching for guided assist in improving your flexibility, easing muscle rigidity, or boosting your athletic efficiency for sports activities like dance, stretch remedy may be helpful (simply be ready to cowl it out of pocket). Nevertheless, in case you’re experiencing persistent ache, recovering from an damage, or coping with a selected situation, it’s higher to seek the advice of a bodily therapist or your physician first.