What benefits do I get from stretching?

Jane Arlow • March 31, 2023

Check out these surprising benefits.

Before we talk a little bit about the surprising benefits, let's think about the most obvious one - releasing tension.

We, as a species are pretty unique. We've invented a way of working that actively works against the needs of our bodies. When we sit in a chair, our legs are supported by a chair. This means that our hip flexors are held passively in a shortened position. Our knees are bent, so our hamstrings are also being held in a passively shortened position.

It's not just our hips and lower bodies.

Concentrating on a mental task can cause us to tense the shoulder girdle, neck, arm and jaw. This is at least partly because when we're concentrating on a screen we often tense our upper bodies to increase our ability to focus visually.

So, when you've been stuck in the same position for an extended period of time, the action of stretching and releasing those areas feels bloody good. It restores muscle length and range of movement.

That means that when you decide to do something else, you're less likely to injure yourself.

OK, so far, so obvious.

What happens when you stretch?

Let's imagine that you're doing a hamstring stretch (as that's the one that usually elicits the most noise in class!).

As you extend your knee, you start to feel that familiar painful feeling in the back of your leg. This is your nerves sounding an alarm to warn you that they're not certain that this level of extension is safe for you.

As you hold the stretch, you notice that the sensation eases off. This is when I always say that your nerves have got bored and wandered off.

But it's more likely that as they realise that nothing bad is happening, they stop sending the pain message.

You're then able to extend the stretch a little more. the sensation comes back; the nerves realise that nothing bad is happening; they switch off.

This means that if you stretch regularly, your nervous system learns that this level of extension is safe and over time, you are able to extend further.

Are the muscles actually getting longer during the stretch? Yes, some studies using ultrasound indicate that the basic units of the muscle (sarcomeres) do actually lengthen and become more pliable for an hour or so after stretching.

Is avoiding injury an obvious benefit of stretching?

Quick answer here is that it depends.

Having a decent range of movement generally is going to make you less prone to those freak desk and sleeping injuries - you know, the ones where you move suddenly and BAM, your shoulder or back is locked up?

If you're someone who does other sports and exercise, you've probably always been told to stretch before you start exercising.

The research here is a bit conflicting. What does seem to be the case however is that it's generally more beneficial than it is harmful for both injury prevention and for performance.

This is especially the case in activities that have explosive movement such as sprinting or jumping. Less so in endurance sports.

Want better cardiovascular fitness? Don't forget to stretch!

If you're giving me the confused look right now wondering how on earth stretching is going to improve your cardiovascular fitness....bear with!

A number of studies over the last decade have indicated that there's a link between being inflexible and risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Why is that? It's not entirely clear. But there are a couple of hypotheses.

The first is that when you stretch, you're not only improving the elasticity of your muscles, but of your blood vessels too.

The second is that hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) is an inflammatory condition which might be alleviated by the actions of the cells within our fascia secreting anti-inflammatory chemicals called resolvins as they're gently stretched. These chemicals turn off the inflammation response and so help the natural healing process.

Calm down dear!

(OMG, who else remembers that horribly patronising advert? Sorry if you had forgotten it and I've now reminded you)

When we're stressed, we tend to tighten our muscles in response. This can manifest in shoulders, neck, jaw, chest area.

If we've got reduced range of movement generally from sitting a lot (and from getting older), this can leave our bodies feeling uncomfortable, stiff and achy; and can also impede our ability to breathe fully into our lungs.

So making sure that we release the muscles and enable ourselves to move more freely can leave us feeling calmer because we associate the feeling of being stressed with muscle tension. And as we open our chest, we stop breathing into the top of our lungs, and are able to fully fill them.

Deep breaths already make us feel calmer. So I'm a big fan of using our breath to aid our stretches. I particularly like the mindful moment it provides us.

As we calm our breath and our bodies, this activates our "rest and digest" systems (in opposition to our "fight and flight" systems) and allows us to feel calmer, sleep more deeply and recover better.

Have I convinced you that you need to stretch more?

I hope I have! If you're sitting at your desk right now, I've got a couple of 3 minute stretches that you can try.

Need to release upper body? Try this video. Looking for lower body stretches? Try this one.

Want a weekly 30 minute stretch class? We're on every Friday morning on Zoom. Class starts at 8.00 am UK time- grab your mat, a strap (or band or the belt of your bathrobe) and a cushion and start your regular stretch practice this week. You can still be at your desk by 9am!

Email me at jane@japilates.co.uk to try your first class for free

< Older Post

Newer Post >

The secret to a really good poo!

By Jane Arlow • October 23, 2025

And not just because it feels great!

3 Foods to add for better immunity this autumn

By Jane Arlow • October 13, 2025

Because no one wants the lurgy!

3 Surprising things that help build more muscle

By Jane Arlow • October 13, 2025

And the first one's a doozie!

Breast cancer - know your risks

By Jane Arlow • October 13, 2025

October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month and if you haven't done it recently, please let this be the nudge you need to give them a good feel up. Here 's a link to the NHS website below showing how to perform your check and what to look for. If you're one of my gentlemen readers, please don't think this doesn't apply to you. It does. Men can still get breast cancer. And if you find something that doesn't seem right, please contact your GP as soon as possible. 80-90% of lumps are likely to be benign, but for the small percentage of those that aren't, early detection and treatment are your best chances of having successful treatment and being around to annoy friends and family for a long time. Don't skip your mammogram I know having mammograms is really uncomfortable. But this is one of the best ways to check for cancers that aren't otherwise easily spotted. So if you get invited, please go. (And don't skip your smear test either!!!) Know your risk factors 1 in 7 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. Here are some of the risk factors: - Age : older women are more likely to get breast cancer than younger women and age is the highest risk factor. - Genetics : Breast cancer risk is higher if you have first-degree relatives who've had it (although 85% of women with a relative with breast cancer WON'T get it). - Breast density (relates to the percentage of non-fatty tissue): the risk is highest for those with the most dense tissue. You can ask your radiographer to tell you whether you have dense tissue at your mammogram. - Lifestyle factors: These include having overweight or obesity, alcohol consumption, tobacco use and insufficient physical activity. - Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals: These "forever" chemicals, such as pthalates and parabens, show up in makeup and toiletries. Risk doesn't normally come from one exposure to one chemical, but from prolonged exposure to many different chemicals over a long period of time. You can read more about the risks here It's worth noting that even if you get a diagnosis, it's unlikely you'll ever know if there was "one thing" that caused it. What happens if you get a diagnosis of breast cancer? I am in no way competent to comment on the treatment plan your medical team recommend for you. Everyone I know who's had breast cancer has had a different treatment plan, depending on: the stage of cancer; whether it had spread further; whether it was hormone-receptive; whether it was due to genetic mutation; and the age of the woman. I do know that for all of us, it was a really scary time. You should be given access to resources outside of the surgical and oncology team, often via a Macmillan nurse, who can answer questions on topics from your treatment and reactions, to claiming for extra benefits. They're also great if you're not sure what questions to ask. While you're in the heat of the panic, it can be difficult to think clearly about what you need to know. Using "what should I be asking that I'm not?" is super helpful. Keep moving after your diagnosis, during and after treatment The one thing I can advise you on with all confidence, is to keep moving. Exercise is safe, possible and helpful for individuals with breast cancer, throughout the treatment cycle. In fact, international guidelines say you should try to get back to your normal activities as soon as possible. Exercise can help reduce the risk of cancer coming back; and may stop stage 1 cancers from growing further; and can also reduce treatment side effects like tiredness, cognitive impairment or lympoedema. Yes, you may need to dial back your usual activities if treatment leaves you feeling exhausted. But whenever you can, please aim for 150 minutes of exercise in every week. Many forms of treatment also lead to a higher osteoporosis risk, so please also do resistance-based and/or some impact-based exercise every week. I'd also recommend paying attention to shoulder mobility. Scar tissue and "guarding" of surgery sites can reduce your range of movement a lot. Check in with your medical team to confirm if there's any specific movements you should avoid during your treatment plan, and when you'll be signed off to go back to them. One last piece of advice someone else gave me... When you tell people you have cancer, a lot of them will have an opinion on your treatment plan. Especially if they're of the "my friend cured their cancer by just eating this one thing.." type. Unless this person is an oncologist, you can safely ignore them! So, what are you still doing reading this? Go off and give yourself a fondle!