Assisted Stretching for Athletes
Built by a strength coach who worked in professional baseball and football: stretching that fits around your training, not in place of it.
Where athletes usually lose range
Every sport wears its own grooves. These are the places we check first; your screen decides where the time actually goes.
| Sport | Where range often goes | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Golf | Hip rotation, mid-back rotation, lead shoulder | When the hips and mid-back don't turn, the lower back and arms often try to make up the difference. |
| Baseball and softball | Throwing-shoulder rotation, hips, mid-back | Throwers commonly lose some inward rotation in the throwing shoulder over a season, and hip and trunk rotation feed both the throw and the swing. |
| Running | Hip flexors, calves, hamstrings | Stride and comfort often depend on how far the hip extends and the ankle bends. |
| Tennis and pickleball | Shoulders, hips, calves | Quick changes of direction and overhead reaches ask for both. |
| Lifting and CrossFit | Overhead shoulder range, ankles, hips | Squat depth and overhead position often come down to ankle and shoulder range. |
| Soccer, lacrosse and football | Hips, groin, hamstrings | Cutting, sprinting and kicking load these hardest. |
| Cycling | Hip flexors, mid-back, hamstrings | Hours in a bent-forward position add up. |
This is where range commonly goes, not a diagnosis. If something hurts, start with an evaluation: sports and activity pain.
Timing stretching around training and games
“Dr. Mike at FIT Clinic is hands-down the best chiropractor I’ve seen.”
Individual experiences shared by patients; results vary.
Stretching doesn't replace strength
In the research, strength training cut sports injuries to less than a third, while stretching on its own didn’t lower overall injury rates (Lauersen et al., 2014). So we don’t sell stretching as injury prevention. We use it to open up range, then use strength work to make that range usable and yours.
Working with your coach or trainer
With your permission, we’ll share your screen results and routine with your coach, trainer or athletic trainer, so your stretching fits your program instead of fighting it.
Young athletes
Ages 12 to 17 are welcome with a parent or guardian in the room. During growth spurts, many young athletes get temporarily tighter as their bones grow faster than their muscles adapt, so we keep things gentle and never force range.
“I can’t say enough great things bout Dr.”
Individual experiences shared by patients; results vary.
Who's coaching you
Jim Goetz, CSCS, played college baseball at the University of Tampa and coached with the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Buccaneers organizations and USF football before completing chiropractic school.
What athletes say
“I can’t say enough great things bout Dr. Brandon. As a competitive athlete with Spartan races and CrossFit, I’m constantly challenging my body and Dr. Brandon has been able to “fix” me on several occasions so I could compete. His knowledge and experience never cease to amaze me and I recommend him to my gym and friends.”
“Dr. Mike at FIT Clinic is hands-down the best chiropractor I’ve seen. He’s incredibly knowledgeable, thorough, and truly cares about long-term wellness. I’ve seen real improvements thanks to his personalized care. Highly recommend!”
“Dr. Mike & the staff are very friendly & professional. They really know how to help improve your quality of life.. I went in to see them & after a couple of visits with Dr. Mike he made me feel relax & got my range of motion with my back good again.”
Individual experiences shared by patients; results vary.
Questions athletes ask
Should I stretch before a game?
Briefly. Keep held stretches short and finish with dynamic movement such as skips, leg swings and build-up sprints. Save the long assisted work for after, or for rest days.
How often during the season?
Once a week is usually enough to hold your range in season; off season, twice a week if you're chasing more.
Can you help me throw harder or hit farther?
We can't promise that, and anyone who does is guessing. Range is one piece of performance; strength, skill and training matter more. If range is what's holding you back, the screen will show it, and if it isn't, we'll tell you.
I'm hurt. Should I still come?
If it hurts, start with an evaluation with Dr. Brandon rather than a stretch; he'll tell you when stretching makes sense. See sports and activity pain.