Research on Stretching Reaches NY Times—10 Years Later

Duane Knudson, associate dean of the College of Communication and Education and chair of the Department of Kinesiology, was recently interviewed and quoted on his research on the biomechanics of stretching in the November 2008 New York Times sports magazine, Play. In 1998 he was one of the first to write that stretching may not be the best way to warm up for vigorous physical activity. His research has helped document how stretching results in short-term (30 to 60 minutes) muscular weakness.

That research has been available for 10 years and has been verified by others and is being used by some trainers. Last year, said Knudson, for example, there was an article in the Los Angeles Times featuring research done at Louisiana State University with track athletes on passive stretching and its effect on sprints. This relatively recent work might have interested the New York Times reporter, suggested Knudson.

The information about the best ways to use stretching has been slow to reach the general public, said Knudson. “It is such a huge paradigm shift away from old beliefs that included that stretching improves performance or prevents injury,” said Knudson, “that we need new terms that separate the objectives of warming up and increasing flexibility,” he said.

The article has already garnered Knudson some interesting e-mail, and, he hopes it will spread the word about a new way to integrate stretching into a total fitness and flexibility program. The article, with some suggested warm-up activities, can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/sports/playmagazine/112pewarm.html?_r=4&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=