How Long Should You Wait to Start Stretching?

Stretching regularly returns your joints to a full range of motion after injury, protects against further injury and even increases strength. But if you stretch too early after a strain, you may not see the same benefits and even potentially damage the area. Whether you're stretching after an injury or simply want to increase your range of motion, pay attention to the timing of your flexibility exercises for the best results.

  1. Stretching After Surgery

    • Stretching can relieve discomfort and help you return to a full range of motion after surgery on your joints. However, if you strain the area too rapidly, you risk causing damage. The invasiveness of the surgery will impact how quickly you can begin stretching. Seek the advice of a physical therapist who can recommend a starting time and help you with basic stretching exercises. With proper rehabilitation, you can generally start basic stretching exercises after four to six weeks. You may have to wait even longer to begin full activities with the affected area, but stretching under a therapist's supervision can speed up recovery.

    Stretching After Muscle Strains

    • Straining a muscle stretches the individual muscle fibers apart, causing pain and even tearing. Muscle strains commonly occur in the calf, groin and chest areas, although you may experience them in other areas of the body as well. The severity of a muscle strain is measured in grades, with grade one being mild and grade three being a complete rupture of the muscle. Seek a medical practitioner's advice before you start stretching. As a general rule you can begin light stretching and muscle movement when you heal enough to use the muscle without pain. Typically, mild muscle strains heal in about two weeks, although a grade three strain may take up to two months.

    Stretching After Sprains

    • After experiencing a strain, get back into your regular exercise routine by stretching to make the affected joint more flexible and to prevent further injury. Although your recovery time depends on the grade of the sprain, begin stretching about a week after you've had the sprain as long as you remain pain-free. Ankle sprains occur commonly with grades from one to three. Since a mild grade one appears must commonly, wear a bandage or brace on the affected ankle and rest, applying ice as recommended. Healing occurs in about a week, although always consult with a doctor to avoid causing further injury to the area.

    Stretching For General Fitness

    • Stretching isn't just for recovery. Stretching loosens up your muscles and increases your range of motion. Warm muscles stretch to greater lengths than cold muscles. To avoid straining a cold muscle, perform flexibility exercises after five to 10 minutes of light aerobic exercise or immediately after your workout while muscle groups are still warm. Both of these times offer similar benefits.