We all know the feeling of a really great stretch… But does it mean that we’re achieving what we’re hoping for?

It’s important to remember that the feeling of a stretch is just a sensation.

Thanks to nerve receptors in soft tissues, the brain can tell that lengthening is happening. Depending on how fast, intentional or forceful the stretch is, the brain also knows whether or not it’s feeling threatened. 

If the brain decides the lengthening is non-threatening, a pleasant sensation is felt instead of a painful sensation.

However, while something can feel good, does it necessarily mean something is happening?

The real question is, are the tissues actually adapting and changing the way we want them to? Or are we essentially scratching an itch that will just need to be scratched again later? 

In the video below, I will use the hips as an example in a classic stretch position that most people are familiar with.