Stretching More Might Be Making Your Tightness Worse

Why Flexibility Isn’t Always the Fix—and What to Do Instead

By Dr. Andrew Kakishita | Kinetic Chiropractic – Lehi, UT

If you've been stretching every day but still feel tight, you're not alone—and you're not crazy. Many active people assume that tight muscles just need more stretching, but the truth is more nuanced. In some cases, stretching more can actually make your tightness worse. Here’s why that happens, and what you should be doing instead.

What “Tightness” Really Means

Feeling tight doesn’t always mean your muscles are short. Sometimes, it means your body is protectively guarding that area. That can be due to instability, past injury, or compensation for weakness somewhere else. In these cases, stretching can actually send the wrong signal to your body.

Imagine your body feels like it’s driving on ice—if you keep yanking the wheel (stretching harder), it only gets more tense. But if you stabilize and strengthen the right areas, the “ice” starts to melt, and your body relaxes its protective tension.

Common Areas This Happens

Hamstrings: Many people think they have tight hamstrings, but the issue often stems from weak glutes or a lack of core stability. The hamstrings tighten to protect the area.
Hip Flexors: These may feel tight from prolonged sitting, but stretching them constantly might aggravate the low back if the core and glutes aren’t engaged.
Neck and Shoulders: Chronic stress and posture-related compensation can create persistent tightness that stretching won’t resolve.

What to Do Instead

Assess the Cause: A good chiropractor will assess whether the tightness is coming from a structural, neurological, or muscular imbalance.
Stabilize First: Before you stretch, stabilize. Strengthening exercises in key muscle groups often reduce tightness faster than passive stretching.
Get Adjusted: If your joints aren’t moving well, muscles will compensate. A chiropractic adjustment can help restore proper motion and reduce protective tension.
Use Targeted Mobility Work: Instead of long static stretches, try mobility drills like controlled articular rotations (CARs) or banded dynamic work to improve joint function.

Final Thought

Don’t be surprised if your personalized treatment plan at Kinetic Chiropractic in Lehi includes more movement and strengthening than stretching. We address the root cause so your tightness actually improves—and stays that way.