There is such a thing as too much stretching

Yoga addicts, listen up! There is always a breaking point. Remember that when stretching, you are elongating muscle fibers and tendons. The normal benefit is of increased flexibility, less systemic tension and more nervous system coordination; the feeling should be of looseness and freedom. But some people take it too far. 

A stretch too far

Some people automatically assume that a stiff or sore point in the musculature should be stretched. But this can actually cause more damage! In fact, you should probably avoid stretching around a point of localized pain so that you can avoid straining the muscle fibers and tendons. 

It’s all about being in touch with your body

Listen- there is a good chance your body will tell you what it can handle. Stretching is an enormously beneficial tool, especially for back pain sufferers. But you need to know what your body can and can’t handle. At our office in Sacramento, we work with you to design a customized stretching plan that takes into account your specific body, spine and level of pain. 

This gives you the greatest possible chance of reaping true benefit from stretching. The takeaway here is to not go into stretching blindly- don’t assume that it is going to solve your back pain if you don’t put in a little time, research, thought and care into each movement. Let us help you get started today.