What's in a Stretch?

Important as it is, stretching is easy to misunderstand or overdo. Help your students—and yourself—learn the basics behind this crucial element of yoga.

By Julie Gudmestad

Because ligaments and most tendons attach to bones very near to the joint itself and are relatively inflexible, they help to hold the bones in place and thereby stabilize the joint. Most physical therapists discourage the stretching of tendons and ligaments, due to the risk of hypermobility (too much movement, or movement beyond the normal range) at the joint. Hypermobility can cause or contribute to a number of joint problems, including arthritis, dislocations, and torn tendons and ligaments. Therefore, students should avoid feeling stretch or pain in or directly around a joint, unless they are working with a healthcare provider or very experienced teacher who has determined that a specific tendon or ligament is lacking its normal flexibility (often as a result of injury or scar tissue) and is supervising careful work with the problem structure.

You'll certainly need to consider the fascia, too, as it is so deeply entwined in the muscle structure at every level. Physical therapy research has shown that in order to change the structure of fascia, you would need to hold a pull on it for 90–120 seconds. This information also supports the idea of holding a longer, gentler stretch, since who wants to sit through two minutes of pain? I've noticed that if a stretch is intensely painful, most of us want to get it over with quickly and will avoid practicing it regularly. Our minds want to "escape" and go elsewhere, which is opposite of the yogic goal of being present and conscious in our actions. Not only that, but the pain probably indicates that some tearing of tissue is taking place. Microscopic tearing is probably acceptable, even necessary, to prompt the body to rebuild and remodel the tissue according to the new, more flexible blueprint. However, bigger tears, which can leave the muscle sore for several days or more, are repaired with scar tissue, which is never as flexible as normal tissue and is therefore to be avoided.

The bottom line? Instead of quick, intense, painful stretching, set your students up in a relatively comfortable position to stretch the desired muscle(s). They should be able to linger for about two minutes while breathing and relaxing into the stretch with a soft, meditative focus. Ideally, lead them in practice warming poses before they stretch deeply, as warm muscles relax and stretch much more readily than cold muscles. Because this approach feels good, they will be more likely to practice the stretching more often. If your students can practice long, gentle stretches of their chosen area four to six times each week, they’ll be pleased with their progress in flexibility, as they become a more conscious, compassionate practitioner.

Julie Gudmestad is a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher and licensed physical therapist who runs a combined yoga studio and physical therapy practice in Portland, Oregon. She enjoys integrating her Western medical knowledge with the healing powers of yoga to help make the wisdom of yoga accessible to all.

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