Should I Stretch or Should I Roll?

We've all been taught to stretch, stretch, stretch-before and even after our workouts. Somewhere along the way most of us have been taught that stretching is the best way to prevent injury.

There is absolutely no evidence, I repeat NO evidence, that static stretching prevents injury and is beneficial before or after working out. Most people do not realize that the stretching they are doing is actually weakening their muscles and is increasing the likelihood of injury.

The two most common types of stretching are static stretching and dynamic stretching. Static stretching (which is the most common type of stretching that most of us have been taught to do before we workout) is performed at rest and results in the lengthening and elongation of a muscle to an end position.

Usually, the static stretch is held between thirty and sixty seconds. Dynamic stretching is safer and more effective than static stretching and is the active movement of muscles that brings forth a stretch-but it is not held in the end position. An example of dynamic stretching is the walking lunge or a lunge with a twist.

A study in the April 2013 issue of The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research concluded that static stretching before lifting weights can cause increased weakness in a muscle. Static stretching was found to reduce muscle strength by approximately 5.5 to 9 percent. Many other studies have shown that static stretching may actually increase the likelihood of injury.  I repeat here: There is no evidence that static stretching prevents injury. 

Some of you are probably thinking, "How can this be so? I feel so much better when I stretch."  Well sure, you may feel better when you do certain stretches because endorphins are released and the parasympathetic nervous system is engaged. However, this is not what you want before an intense activity. You want your parasympathetics engaged when you are getting ready to go to sleep, not when you are about to lift weights or run.  So what is one to do to minimize injury from exercise or prevent sports injury?

A better way to prevent injury and help muscles function better is the use of a foam roller and/or a ball (like a medicine ball, or a lacrosse ball) to roll out your musculature.  This is done by lying on the floor and applying your body weight onto a roll or ball while rolling the body across it, thus releasing muscular tension.

Foam/ball rolling benefits include:

• Improved circulation and blood flow
• Breaks down trigger points, muscle knots and adhesions, which allows the muscle to be as strong as possible.
• Reduces muscle pain
• Stimulates neuro-lymphatic points so the muscle has proper lymphatic drainage-the bad stuff leaves, and the good stuff enters.
• Increases range of motion

A study in the March 2013 issue of The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research concluded that self-myofascial release with a foam roller improved range of motion on average seven to ten degrees. Some participants improved up to twenty degrees. The study also found that strength wasn't negatively impacted, as it is in static stretching.

So, for all you serial static stretchers, where does this information leave you? I am now going to give you my prescription on what I believe is the best warm up and cool down to prevent injury and keep you pain-free.

Before lifting weights, warm up with 5 minutes of cardiovascular activity. If possible, observe your heart rate on the cardio equipment. During these five minutes, do not exceed a maximum heart rate established by the formula: 180 - (your age + 20). This gets the blood flowing to all the muscles in your body that are about to be engaged by exercise.

Next, do movements before lifting that mimic the exercise for the body part you are about to work out. For example, if you are about to do a chest workout, do at least ten repetitions of chest presses slowly without any weight (air presses). Foam rolling or ball rolling can also be done before your workout, but is more important after your workout.

The most effective time to use a foam roller or a ball is after you have completed your workout.  Roll out the muscles that you have worked out, and any associated muscles. You can foam or ball roll before your workout, but it is not necessary.

Here is a simple guide to know what to foam or ball roll after you have worked out with weights for a particular body part:

• CHEST: Foam roll the chest up above the clavicle, under and side of the armpit, upper mid-back, and back of shoulders

• BICEPS: Foam roll the biceps and front of deltoid where bicep tendon is located, and onward down to forearm on the front of the arm, and from the triceps down to forearm in on the back of the arm

• TRICEPS: Foam roll the triceps down to forearm along the back of the arm, and from the front deltoid, onward to the bicep, and down to forearm along the front of the arm

• BACK: Foam roll the chest and upper back. Don't foam roll your lower back, stop at the lower ribcage.

• SHOULDERS: Foam roll the shoulders, chest, and upper-mid back.  A ball works best to get into the trapezius muscles, and the front/back of the neck

• LEGS: Foam roll the quads, hamstrings, glutes, piriformis, hip flexors, lower abdomen, shins, and calves

If an area is very sensitive with your ball or foam roller, don't stay here for more than 20 seconds, and use sweeping motions for the entire general area. Remember to roll slowly, not too fast. I would aim to spend about 15 minutes foam/ball rolling after a workout. Divide this time up equally between all the areas that you will be working on. Dr. Mercola's website has good videos on foam rolling. You can go to www.mercola.com and enter foam rolling in the search tab to find "how to" foam rolling videos.

One thing I'd like to mention is that static stretching is not yoga. Yoga can be very good for the body if done properly. Yin yoga is my favorite therapeutic yoga practice, but I would never recommend doing yoga as a warm up for another activity like running or weight lifting. It should be practiced separately.

Dr. Louis Granirer is a leading Holistic Chiropractor in NYC specializing in holistic remedies for good health maintenance and prevention of disease. Visit his website at www.HolisticChiropracticCenter.com to learn more.