| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| art |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 12:18:44
In light of Dr. Sarno's belief that stretching is not a productive thing to do, I'm wondering how many of you TMS runners still bother.
I still do, after I run, partly out of habit, partly out of the fact that it feels kinda good, and partly out of the lingering belief that after running a long way, it's a good thing to do. I have however cut way back.
Wondering about the rest of you.... |
| 14 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| johnnyg |
Posted - 08/03/2005 : 09:40:13
Too funny Art :)--The thing about animals is just that they do it naturally, I'm assuming they do it for reasons other than that it just feels good. I've never seen my cat stretch before physical activity either, usually because she doesn't have enought time before the dog comes near her and pisses her off.
I've never seen any studies on stretching, but I'd be willing to bet people get injured whether or not they stretch, so it'd be hard to get a reliable basis. I had a roommate in college that didn't stretch at all before a work out and laughed when I used to do it. Maybe some people only need a warm up, but I feel that stretching relaxes my muscles. I definitely feel that tense muscle are ripe for straining (whatever that is per Dr. Sarno), so a good stretch can be relaxing. |
| marytabby |
Posted - 08/03/2005 : 08:54:05
I stretch minimally, just for good measure, since I know professional runners do it and it's probably for good reason. I don't think Sarno means never stretch. I believe he says you should cut out all stretching that is meant to improve the back/postural muscles that the PT's tell us to do. But if it's for general good health, go ahead and stretch. |
| Dave |
Posted - 08/03/2005 : 07:58:22
quote:
Originally posted by Suz
Dave,
Do you not bother stretching after you work out or do weights?
I never do specific stretches before or after working out. Sometimes if my calf muscles feel "crampy" I will do a quick stretch. Of course sometimes sitting at my desk for awhile I'll put my arms up in the air and stretch, or when I stand up I might stretch out my legs a bit. But I consider this to be instinctive, "natural" stretching.
Dr. Sarno states: Many years ago I stopped prescribing physical therapy as part of the treatment program for TMS...each treatment session focused the patient's attention on his or her body, which was incompatible with my primary theraputic goal of ignoring the physical and concentrating solely on the psychological. The same idea applies to any exercise routine designed to treat the back, whether it is in the form of stretching, strengthening or mobilizing.
So I advise my patients to discontinue exercises designed to protect or otherwise help the back. The back needs no protection. Warm-up exercises prior to athletic activity are appropriate for better performance but specific exercises are otherwise unnecessary.
Physical activity of all kinds is highly recommended for its psychological and general health values.
Just before I saw Dr. Sarno I was in physical therapy. I asked him specifically if I should continue the hamstring stretches I was taught, since tight hamstrings were blamed for my low back pain. He emphatically said not to do any stretching. |
| JoeW |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 19:18:25
My cat only stretches after its been asleep for 10 hours, and it wants to change position for the next 10... It doesn't stretch before doing vigorous physical activity (not that it does such activity often ). |
| art |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 17:33:53
quote:
Watch any animal, especially cats, they naturally stretch every day--are they wrong?
They stretch out sure, but they don't do if for ten minutes at a time. I'm trying to imagine a cat touching his toes, or a dog working those calf muscles..
Dr. Sarno aside, there's very little in the literature as I understand it that conclusively demonstrates that stretching reduces the chance of injury substantially. The last big study that I read about found that stretching before exercise actually increases
the chance of injury while stretching afterward had a minor protective effect.
I don't have the book in front of me, but I recall being very surprised that Dr. Sarno believed stretching was not a particularly helpful thing to do...Like most runners at that time..this was 6 or 7 years ago I think... I was thoroughly indoctrinated into the culture of stretching..It seems to be turning out that Dr. Sarno was onto something...
Hey Marge, I've been at it for thirty years now (God, can that be right?). I figure if I don't have long lovely slender legs by now, I'm probably out of luck.. |
| ssjs |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 14:44:44
Dr Sarno says that if you want to be generally healthy and look good, exercise is essential. But if you are doing it to fix a problem...then you are still thinking that it is because of a structural problem, and that is not a reason to stretch, or exercise.
He does believe in exercise though. He used to run. I do not know if he still does.
Suz...
Don't go by me! I am just lazy...but I never stretched at all...EVER, and I did a pretty intense 2 hour workout twice a week. I was actually very muscular (I have spent some time away from it because I opened a new business) and people used to tell me all the time that I looked good. But I wasn't very flexable.
It has all turned to butter now, and I am just getting started again...but I will not stretch.
Sandy |
| Suz |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 14:44:36
Dave,
Do you not bother stretching after you work out or do weights?
SSJs, very interesting that you don't. Have you not experienced greater stiffness after a tough work out? It would definitely save time for me.
I have friends who do yoga and have wonderful long, lean muscles - I attributed it to the lengethening and stretching that one does in yoga. |
| johnnyg |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 14:18:33
"Dr. Sarno does not believe that stretching is a "necessary activity."
I didn't say he believed that, that's what seems right to my lay brain. Unless he wrote it or someone asks him directly, we can't say what he believes. Seems like he would lump it into the category of something good for us like exercise. But isn't exercise also necessary for proper health?. I can't even fathom the idea that stretching on some level isn't a necessary activity or doesn't reduce the chance of injury. Since we do have muscles, they seem to need both strengthening and stretching in order to avoid atrophy. I can't even see why anyone would question it, but that's just me, I could be wrong. |
| Suz |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 13:43:45
I did an intense work out on Saturday and did not spend much time stretching. I seem to have quite stiff calf muscles which I don't normally get. I attributed this to muscles that I don't work out much and so are a bit sore. |
| Dave |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 13:24:11
quote:
Originally posted by johnnyg
Come on people, stretching our muscles is a necessary activity for health, especially before physical exertion like running or lifting weights.
Dr. Sarno does not believe that stretching is a "necessary activity."
Stretching promotes flexibility, but that does not necessarily equate to better performance or reduced chance of injury.
When your muscles "need" a stretch, you know it. You get up from a chair and you just feel like stretching, so you do. This is perfectly natural. However, there are some crazy unnatural stretches out there that could do more harm than good, especially in TMS-prone muscles. |
| johnnyg |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 12:51:10
"In light of Dr. Sarno's belief that stretching is not a productive thing to do, I'm wondering how many of you TMS runners still bother. "
This is a distortion of what Doc S says. He would never agree with this. He would say that stretching should be avoided as a therapy for backache. But after acceptance of the diagnosis, if your pain diminishes, you should stretch yourself silly. Come on people, stretching our muscles is a necessary activity for health, especially before physical exertion like running or lifting weights. Watch any animal, especially cats, they naturally stretch every day--are they wrong? I'm seeing a large amount of common sense being thrown out the window because of one part of Doctor Sarno's theory about how to cure TMS. |
| ssjs |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 12:37:49
I stopped stretching years ago because I was lazy and didn't want to take the extra time before and after I ran or lifted weights. I felt that the extra time didn't seem to make a difference, and truthfully, I never had an "injury"...so I just stopped. I never do it at all.
Once in a while, I would read articles saying that stretching did not seem to make any difference. Of course most people would try and get me to stretch...but I never did.
I say, if it feels good...
but for me it just took up extra time.
Sandy
|
| Suz |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 12:36:56
wow - I would be interested to know about that. I always thought it was good to stretch. Doesn't one get stiff or is all of that TMS |
| Marg |
Posted - 08/02/2005 : 12:28:15
Art, I thought we stretch after running so we could get lovely long slender legs. As opposed to "Men's rugby style legs". I do my stretches but as yet I still haven't managed those lovely legs. I did not know that Dr Sarno says you don't need to stretch. Can you tell me why he thinks that stretching is counter-productive.
Marg. |
