How do you make sure you dont overstretch???!


Question: last rugby match i was stretching and i overstretched a bit too much which made me not be able to run for a week or so.. how do i make sure this doesnt happen? thanks.


Answers: last rugby match i was stretching and i overstretched a bit too much which made me not be able to run for a week or so.. how do i make sure this doesnt happen? thanks.

Just a thought, but I bet you were doing passive RELAXED stretches. If you relax your muscles too much, it is indeed possible to overstretch. Your relaxed muscles are too relaxed and are unable to react in time when you exceed your stretch limits. Then, you start to tear the internal connective tissues of the muscle, leading to pain and spasm as the muscle tries to prevent you from stretching that far, again.

When you stretch before a game, I would suggest going to the point where you feel tension or resistance and mentally mark that spot. Your muscle is trying to tell you something. Repeat the stretch several times to see if any SMALL gains are achievable.

Developmental stretches (where you actually try to increase your flexibility) should be done at other times, not just before or worse, after a game. Your muscles will be fatigued, in that case, and again would not be able to prevent you from overstretching.

You cannot overstretch. Know your limits as far as how far to push yourself. A person cannot just simply overstretch.

when it hurts at all hold it and don't go further, if you feel a burn, it is natural, but only to a certain point, also try streching after, your muscles are warmed up, and can strech further without harm

Hey there, I'm a runner, and you CAN overstretch or stretch improperly. I tried to avoid the pitfalls by warming up before stretching. For me, this means I run a mile before I stretch my legs/feet/ligaments etc. If you stretch while you're muslces are cold, you can very easily create little rips and tears. And do NOT overextend. You should feel relaxed, not a burning or pain.

On a personal note: I noticed that all the runners that stretched before a run tended to get injuries. Those that did not, tended to not get injuries. So for years, I did not stretch, and was injury free. Interesting, eh?

Most athletic injury comes from improper stretching, so be careful.





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