03/04/2026
Stretching or Strengthening: Which actually improves Range of Motion? 🐾🤔
When we see a patient with a restricted range of motion (ROM), our clinical "reflex" is often to reach for stretching. We’ve been taught that to lengthen a tissue, we must, well, lengthen it. But what if strengthening - adding load rather than just length - was just as effective, if not more so?
"Strength Training versus Stretching for Improving Range of Motion" (Afonso et al., 2021). This study searched through 194 peer-reviewed articles to answer a fundamental question: Is one protocol superior to the other?
The Findings might surprise you:
The research showed no statistical difference between the two. Both strengthening and stretching were effective at increasing ROM.
How does strengthening improve ROM?
While we know how stretching works, strengthening improves ROM through:
✅ Increasing fascicle length: Loading a muscle through its full range can actually add sarcomeres in series.
✅ Reciprocal Inhibition: Strengthening the agonist muscle can help the antagonist "relax" and let go.
✅ Neuromuscular Control: Improving the body’s confidence in a joint’s stability allows the nervous system to "permit" a greater range of movement.
Clinical Application: Stretching vs. Strengthening
Static Stretching: Great for specific tissue contractures, but it is passive. The patient isn’t always "learning" how to use that new range.
Dynamic Stretching: This bridges the gap by improving circulation and neuromuscular control while lengthening the tissue.
Strength Training: By adding resistance (think hydrotherapy or weighted inclines) through a full, controlled ROM, we are building a "functional" range that the patient can actually use in daily life.
The Bottom Line:
You don't have to choose just one! Since both are effective, your choice should depend on your specific patient's needs. If a dog is weak and stiff, a strengthening program might give you the "two-for-one" benefit of building stability while simultaneously freeing up the joint.
Let’s move away from just "pulling" and start "loading" with intention. 🚀
Comment BLOG for the link to the full blog post where we break down the science even further!
