Given our working environments, then yes, most of us should probably be doing something every day. You don’t have to drag yourself off to a yoga class, it can be as simple as stretching your neck for a minute or two throughout the day. Every little bit helps, and as importantly it helps build, and reinforce good habits.

Regular stretching really is preventative, but often we ignore the warning signs such as mild stiffness and pain and then end up at the GP’s or on the Osteopath’s couch for a course of treatments as muscle stiffness and joint restriction gradually increases.

Always follow instructions given to you by your GP, Physiotherapist, Chiropractor, or Osteopath.  Stretching should be avoided in the acute phase of injury i.e. after a fall, muscle tear or ligament sprain as you will cause further damage to the injured area.

However, an example of where stretching may be helpful in the acute phase is if you experience a neck or back spasm. These can sometimes be incredibly painful and can occur from an everyday movement i.e. bending down to pick up a pen off the floor. Spasms are muscle contractions so the muscle does indeed need releasing, during these episodes and if possible (pain dependent) keep as mobile and active as you can and gently stretch the area in question if pain permitted.

If the injury is chronic i.e. several months or years old then generally some light, gentle stretching and mobilisation regularly should help. Chronic injuries usually cause restrictions and stiffness over time worsening the problem and potentially causing secondary problems too. However, if stretching makes the problem worse, STOP and seek professional advice.

Pain doesn’t necessarily mean the area shouldn’t be stretched or exercised. If there has been an acute injury. see previous question, then no you shouldn’t stretch.

The neck is a common area where people experience pain frequently. There could be many reasons for pain so always ensure you speak to your GP or medical professional such as a Physiotherapist. But, neck pain can often occur from muscle tension that builds up from day upon day of sitting at your desk. If this is the case, and there hasn’t been any trauma or obvious injury then stretching should help.

Any trauma, whiplash, or accident should always be assessed by a medical professional. In these circumstances do NOT start stretching unless instructed too by a medical professional.

So firstly, consider whether there has been any form of recent injury. If there hasn’t and you think your pain relates to postural issues then yes stretching is usually the right thing to do. For example, you come home from work where you have been sitting all day, and your lower back feels stiff and sore, then yes performing something like the Hamstring Pulses stretch below may help in stretching your lower back.

This programme is really about stretching for those of you chained to your desk all day, so below are a few examples.

But, pain is a sign of inflammation.  Ice (when mentioning ice here, cold therapy is the same thing) helps reduce inflammation whereas heat can add to the inflammation. Therefore, ice should be appiled to an acute injury or if you have pain – you should never heat an acute injury. During an acute injury, there will be an inflammatory response, heat is generated as part of that inflammatory response, so use ice to calm down the reaction.

Even if there hasn’t been an “injury” but your neck / shoulder/ back feel painful AND stiff from laptop overuse (classic example!) then follow the ice protocol first until the pain goes, also GENTLY stretch during this period to help release muscle tension / stiffness.  Once the pain goes, switch to heat and continue stretching.

The above can be a classic “build up” issue and often pain occurs when turning the neck or moving the shoulder or back – usually there hasn’t been any particular trauma.  However, inflammation will likely be present, so use this ice protocol.

• Ice every 1-2 hours for 15 – 20 minutes.
• Repeat daily until the pain goes.
• This may take several days.

Heat is great for muscles and joints that feel stiff.  So, if you feel achy or stiff then apply heat to warm up the area and also gently stretch. Generally, heat is used for chronic issues to increase mobility.

Muscles particularly like heat. For example, when you exercise heat is generated and with that warmth you feel more mobile and flexible.

But, always reduce the pain first with ice before switching to heat to increase blood flow and help mobilisation.

Yes, you can “over do” stretching and leave muscles and tendons sore, particularly if you are new to stretching or trying to stretch / mobilse an area that has been restricted, sore or injured for a while.