Yes, You Can Stretch Too Much—Here Are Signs You Might Be Overdoing It

Growing up as a dancer, I’d spend 30 minutes sitting in a straddle on the floor with my elbows on the ground as I finished my homework—then relish the Jell-O-y way my legs felt when I got up. Despite that feeling, however, it was likely that I had pushed things too far by overstretching—and even though my flexibility might have increased, this extreme method of stretching was putting me at risk of injury. 

This is because stretching is like Goldilocks: stretch too little, and your muscles won’t gain the length and range of motion needed for optimal function; stretch too much, and you could strain or tear your muscles and the ligaments in your joints. Here’s how to tell if your stretching crosses the line from hurts-so-good to overstretching—and what to do if you realize you’ve gone too far.

Can You Stretch Too Much?

Even if you’re not tying yourself in knots like dancers, gymnasts, and yogis do, it’s possible to stretch too much. (And yes, super-bendy professionals also need to be careful they don’t push beyond what’s safe—although their threshold might look different from yours.) 

“Overstretching is stretching beyond your joints’ normal range of motion,” says Katie Sun Worrall, a physical therapist and dance medicine specialist at Milestone Physical Therapy in Roseville, California. When you force a stretch past your limits—by pushing it too far or holding the position for too long—what ends up happening is you stretch the ligaments surrounding your joints rather than the muscle you’re targeting, Worrall says.  This increases joint laxity (or hypermobility) and makes your joints less stable, which can lead to injury.

According to board-certified sports physical therapist Leada Malek, author of Science of Stretch, overstretching is more common than you might think, and she says she sees people fall victim to the habit in two common scenarios—neither of which involve taking a nap while sitting in a split.

The first is when people assume that stretching is the solution for a tight-feeling muscle or body pain they’re experiencing. “People seek out stretch options to treat something that may need more than that, only to find stretching excessively has not helped or made things worse,” she says. If you are unsure if you should stretch a muscle (especially if you are experiencing pain) you should consult with your doctor or physical therapist before trying a stretch or exercise. 

The second reason people overstretch, which Malek says she’s seeing with increasing frequency, is they get a little over-excited about the benefits of mobility training and neglect a well-rounded fitness plan. “With the latest trend of improving mobility, people seem to hang their hats on stretching more than before as a means of chasing this mobility,” she says. Mobility is a key aspect of any training program, but try not to neglect other areas that can round out your training, including strength and cardiovascular training. 

How Overstretching Happens

There are a few different ways you can overstretch your muscles. “Overstretching can occur when the length of a tissue surpasses its ability to control the length, or when you push past a point of control,” says Malek. “Pushing the limit of a stretch too aggressively—essentially straining a muscle—or stretching for too long or too often can be precursors [to overstretching]. Holding a stretch, especially one that already has the joint at its near-end range motion can also be an issue as well.”

Let’s take a look at these habits that can lead to overstretching in a little more detail.

1. Stretching Past Your Limits

“My definition of overstretching is that you're stretching your joints and your muscles beyond where they should be,” says Worrall. 

Gains in flexibility should be made slowly and incrementally—you stretch your muscle to its capacity (gently!), and then give it time to recover before stretching it further. Over time, your target muscle will gradually increase its capacity to lengthen. If you force a stretch past its natural limit—say, a partner presses firmly on your back to increase a seated hamstring stretch to the point where you feel pain—any range-of-motion gains you see will actually be because the ligaments that connect your muscles to your joint are straining and possibly tearing.

2. Stretching With Too Great an Intensity

Similar but different to stretching past your limits is stretching with too much intensity. Intensity in stretching refers not to the position of your muscles, but to “the magnitude of force or torque applied to the joint during a stretching exercise,” according to the authors of a study published in the journal Sports Health. Put another way, it’s the amount of pressure or strain you’re putting on your joints in a stretch.

One way that people commonly subject their joints to too much intensity while stretching is by pulsing or bouncing in the stretch. Both the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend against bouncing in your stretches (aka ballistic stretching) because this added force exerted on your joints can cause injury.

3. Stretching for Too Long

Malek recommends that most people hold static stretches for 30 to 60 seconds at a time. Hold for longer than this, and you could see diminishing returns in your performance.

“What happens when you hold a stretch for too long is you relax your muscle and it actually makes it harder for it to contract,” says Worrall. So then, when you need that muscle to contract during your workout—something that’s necessary for all movement—it responds more slowly and has a diminished capacity.

Prolonged stretching may be recommended for individuals who are specifically looking to increase flexibility, but should be done under the guidance of a medical or certified fitness professional, Malek adds.

4. Stretching a Cold Muscle

You might also subject your muscles and joints to overstretching if you attempt static stretching before you’re properly warmed up. Because cold muscles are more likely to tear, according to Harvard Health, you should take 5 to 10 minutes to get your blood pumping through your muscles before you try to reach for your toes. You could go for a brisk walk or do some dynamic stretches, like walking lunges or arm circles.

Stretching Too Much: Signs You May Be Overstretching

The telltale sign that you’ve pushed your stretching too far is if you feel pain. “Stretching can be uncomfortable, but it shouldn’t be painful,” says Malek. 

Okay, but what if you’re reading this and thinking to yourself, “Uh I’m no gymnast and stretching always hurts…” You’ve got a point: It’s not always super obvious which aches are to be expected and which are a signal to rein things in. Malek describes some key indicators that the sensation you’re experiencing is a warning sign: “If you get any numbness or tingling, sharp pain, you catch yourself holding your breath or wincing during the stretch, or you have symptoms of pain or discomfort that linger after, can all be signs you overdid it,” she says. 

While every person’s pain threshold is different, Worrall recommends trying to place the pain you feel on a scale of 1 to 10. “If it’s not a sharp pain, but a dull, achy pain below a three out of 10, you’re likely safe,” she says. “If it’s above that and it’s starting to get sharp or it increases, then you should probably back off.”

Another indicator that you have overstretched is if you begin to see your athletic performance slump. According to Malek, research has shown that holding a static stretch for longer than 60 seconds “can affect how quickly and efficiently the nervous system fires up the muscles and that it may decrease the stiffness of the muscle-tendon unit which can impact force and power output of exercises like jumping.”

Malek adds that if you overstretch to the point where you cause a muscle strain—meaning the muscle fibers are pulled farther than they can go and tear as a result—your body will initiate an inflammatory response in an effort to heal the damage (remember, inflammation occurs when your immune system responds to threats). “When this happens, your muscles are unable to produce as much force, as the tear [and inflammatory response] limits contractility.”

What Should You Do If You Overstretch?

So, your muscles are feeling sore the day following a stretch sesh and you have a hunch it’s because you overstretched. What now?

“Firstly, always seek help from a physical therapist or other rehab professional,” says Malek. “But in general, you can take it easy.” Your overstretched muscle needs time to heal and regain its strength, so you want to give it time to do so. 

“Move within your abilities, perhaps engage in manageable strength training, and opt not to spend time stretching that same tissue again beyond a gentle stretch if desired and safe,” Malek says. 

While Malek says it’s unlikely you’ll need to immobilize the muscles or joints you overstretched, if you are feeling acute pain that is impacting your ability to move, research supports using the RICE protocol for recovery: rest, ice, compression, elevation. 

How Overstretching Impacts Your Fitness Routine

Stretching is an important part of your fitness routine. Not only does increasing the range of motion in your joints help you get more from your workouts, but it makes it easier for you to do everyday tasks like carrying your groceries, going up stairs, or getting on the floor to play with your kids. “Other perks associated with stretching include reduction in sedentary activity, improved neuromuscular control, positive effects on mental health, pain reduction, and things like possible improvements in sleep quality, nerve-related pain, and work-related pain,” says Malek.

However, many of these benefits go out the window if you force your body into positions that are beyond its capabilities or hold a stretch for too long; this is because overstretching can strain your muscles and increase laxity in your joints, which makes them unstable. Just think—if your ankles are loose, for instance, it’s easier to roll or tweak them when going for a run or a hike. 

At the end of the day, the best way to avoid overstretching is to learn how to listen to your body. Stretch slowly, deliberately, and with control. Try doing a body scan at the beginning of your workout and then again at the end: Ask yourself, "How do I feel? Am I noticing any soreness or stiffness?" The more you check in with yourself, the better you come to know what feels good and right—and what feels like too much.

This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute individualized advice. It is not intended to replace professional medical evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment. Seek the advice of your physician for questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. If you are having a medical emergency, call your physician or 911 immediately.