Full Body

Muscle Tightness

Written by Stephanie Lievense Cohn PT, DPT, OCS Why am I ALWAYS so tight?  I’ve been stretching and it’s not working….what gives? I keep trying to stretch, but my body just doesn’t move that way! Welcome to a small portion of a day in the life of a physical therapist. The above quotes come from those who firmly believe that their muscles are forever inflexible, and they wonder why stretching is not helping. I have bad news: stretching is not always the answer, and can actually be counterproductive.  Before I get into the weeds, let’s clarify the definition of “tight.” To my patients, it means that they feel restricted, stiff, or even achy in their muscles, especially after tough training…