Why I don’t stretch (as a hypermobile human)
Someone asked me last week “how often do you stretch?” with the implication that they were asking “do I take my own advice?”
I don’t stretch. I might grab a 30s calf stretch after a hike but that’s about it.
I have a hypermobile body, which is a lot more than being “double jointed”. My house is built a bit janky. My joints don’t give me the appropriate amount of stability.
The system still needs support, so it looks for it in softer stability tissues - like ligaments.Problem is, most of my ligaments are extra stretchy. Well, shit.
So I guess we’re gonna need to throw muscles onto overtime work for like, the rest of my life? If I stretch them out consistently I’m losing some benefit the tightness offers me in stability.
Tight muscles are still painful though. And muscle care is important. And I definitely do take my own advice. So I choose other interventions that don’t stretch everything out - like cupping, foam rolling, and massage gun work.
More importantly than all of it, I strength train. I don’t just lift weights. I lift the heaviest weights I can safely lift. I focus much more on building muscle mass than “getting a good workout in”.
I treat lots of hypermobile humans who have been turning to massage and stretching for relief from their pain finding that it makes everything worse. Learning that their machine needs strength in response to tightness before they can stretch and release is revolutionary.
It’s like trying to apply the user manual of a Honda for a Ford. It’s not going to take you anywhere. It’s not wrong, it’s just not for you.
It’s the same reason I don’t have a stretching and mobility program. There’s no one specific piece of health advice that will fix everyone’s problem. Can’t knock them, they’re helpful to a point but don’t trust everything you see on TikTok.
We know the common suggestions, (even if we don’t listen to them): don’t drink, exercise enough and well, eat enough and well, sleep enough and well. But if you ask me what any one of those things mean, I couldn’t give you a straight answer without getting to know who I’m talking to better. The nuance is in the application.
Sooooo then why do I suggest stretching? Like everything, it depends. But for some bodies if not most bodies, it’s helpful to maintain and protect sufficient joint movement.
We use all the symptoms of the body like we use hunger cues. You know what your body wants when you get those tummy grumbles, a headache, and an extra dose of impatience - you’re hungry.
Tightness, pain, stiffness, aching, etc., is no different - your body is talking to you. Through my tightness, my body is asking me for help stabilizing my joints via as much strength as I can add. What’s yours telling you?
The point is, at ROOTS we’re helping people master the machine they live within. Get to know your machine. Get to know the manual. Use it. Take care of your body. Yours specifically.
