Studies find stretching is associated with more benefits than originally thought
BOSTON - Two studies have found that there's more health benefits associated with stretching than originally thought.
Most people do a little compulsory stretching before they exercise but perhaps we should do more. Two studies, one in 2020 and one in 2023, found that stretching was associated with a lower risk of death, separate and apart from other forms of exercise.
For example, Korean adults who did flexibility exercise at least five times a week had a 20% lower risk of dying compared to those who didn't stretch at all. According to Medscape, there may be a number of reasons why applying tension to muscles and connective tissue improves health: it can help you build strength, improve blood flow, reduce heart rate and blood pressure, improve athletic performance, and lead to fewer injuries.
Ideally, you want to hold a static stretch for at least 30 seconds or do several repetitions of a dynamic stretch each day.