Assisted stretching is a form of stretching where a trained professional helps you stretch your muscles beyond what you could do on your own. It helps tight and restricted tissues to adopt a new “set point” of tension to help aid in the relief of muscle imbalances and protect joints for the long term. It can also lead to a number of benefits for your body, both in terms of physical performance and overall wellbeing. 

Benefits of Assisted Stretching

Improved Flexibility and Range of Motion

Assisted stretching can help you increase your flexibility and range of motion, which can be particularly helpful if you’re an athlete or have mobility issues. By having someone help you stretch your muscles further than you could do on your own, you can increase your joint mobility, improve your posture, and reduce your risk of injury. As trained physical therapists, our clinicians utilize Peripheral Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) techniques, which is based on the approach that the brain controls the amount of tension in each muscle group. The muscles function together in chains that wrap around the body to facilitate control and stability. These PNF techniques teach the brain the optimal tension in each  muscle group and allow for more efficient movement overall. This is particularly effective for those who have suffered a prior stroke.

Reduced Muscle Tension and Soreness

Assisted stretching can also help reduce muscle tension and soreness, particularly after a workout or physical activity. When you stretch with the help of a professional, they can apply the right amount of pressure and tension to your muscles to help release knots and trigger points that have been reoccurring. This can help your body learn where the optimal length-tension relationship is in each muscle group   This can help you feel more relaxed and reduce muscle soreness, particularly if the activities you do lead to muscle imbalances in the first place. Most of us will have these due to the fact that most of our tasks happen in front of us, i.e. working on a computer, driving, cleaning. Our specific techniques take this into account to bring back optimal tension to reduce pain and soreness with day to day activities.

Increased Blood Flow and Circulation

Assisted stretching can also increase blood flow and circulation throughout your body, which can help improve your body’s ability to recover from straining physical activities as well as your work day. By stretching your muscles and releasing tension, you can improve the flow of oxygen and nutrients to your muscles, organs, and tissues as well. 

Improved Athletic Performance

Assisted stretching can be particularly helpful for athletes who want to improve their performance. By increasing flexibility and range of motion, reducing muscle tension, and increasing blood flow, athletes can see improvements in their speed, agility, and overall performance.

Reduced Stress and Anxiety

We hold a lot of extra tension and stress in our bodies, sometimes from events that occurred long ago. Assisted stretching can help reduce stress and anxiety by promoting relaxation and releasing tension in your muscles. This can increase our resilience and help release trauma from the body. When your muscles are relaxed, it can have a calming effect on your mind and help you feel more at ease. This can translate to better performance at work, school, and improved ability to learn and make decisions.