Of course that leads to the question, "why is it that after stretching for 10-30 seconds I not only feel "looser", but I have improved range of motion."

This may be true, but ask yourself this. How long does this last? Or, does stretching every day actually "fix" the problem?

What we do know about short duration stretching is that it effects the nervous system. Studies suggest that increases in muscle extensibility observed immediately after stretching and after short-term (3- to 8-week) stretching programs are due to an alteration of sensation only and not to an increase in muscle length (Robert Schleip, 2003).

This type of stretching is designed to give a transient increase in range of motion, as well as help decrease your perception of tightness in areas. We use this at the clinic to help people break the cycle of pain associated with a movement, to decrease fear avoidance with movement, or once some one has developed sufficient ROM at a particular joint.

Holds For 2 Minutes +

Studies done at the cellular level, particularly on tensegrity and mechanotransduction, suggests that if we want to make actual physiological changes to tissue we need to be applying forces to our tissues for around two minutes or more.

This two minute mark is determined as the average time cells begin to recognize the stresses being placed on a tissue. So spending longer duration time in a particular position can help teach tissues to reorganize themselves, making long lasting changes over time. As Dr. Andreo Spina frequently states, "Force is the language of cells."

Keep in mind that stretching one time for two minutes will not create a permanent change. It takes a lot of repeated stimulus over a long period of time to create actual changes to tissues. This follows the Thixotropic Effect, which states the longer a tissue is under load, the more adaptable it will become.