Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
There is little scientific evidence that stretching helps to
prevent athletic injuries. However, a survey of high school coaches
in Michigan shows that almost all stretch their athletes for an
average of 13 minutes prior to practice or competition. Almost 95
percent of the coaches believe that stretching helps to prevent
injuries, and nearly 73 percent feel that there are no drawbacks to
stretching (Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, May 2006). They
felt that their personal experience and scientific evidence support
their stretching practices.
Before you decide that scientific research is more
correct than coaches’ opinions, realize that many athletic
principles were used by coaches long before the scientific
community showed evidence to support them. Runners have used
interval training for more than 90 years and the first scientific
evidence to explain its benefits was published just this year.
Muscles tear because the force on them is greater than
their inherent strength, so injuries should be prevented by
strengthening muscles, not by stretching them. There is data to
show that stretching elongates muscles and tendons to allow a
greater torque about a joint, which allows athletes to throw further,
lift heavier, run faster, and jump higher. There is no good
scientific data to show that stretching prevents injuries, but it may.
Coaches and scientists do agree that you should not stretch cold
muscles, so if you choose to stretch before your workout, warm up
your muscles first.
June 15, 2006