ah24

Yup..

If static stretching yourself, not many stretches should be painful, the whole point of stretching is to relax. Just take it to your soft tissue barrier.

The main stetch that is fkin painful (because it's THAT tight on 99% people) is a hip flexor stretch. I'm in pain just thinking about it!

Tall

I've stretched during a heavy deadlift session before to try and reduce lower back pump, but ended up not being able to go as heavy...

Tall

Kneeling or lying?

The kneeling one kills me. Lying seems fine?

ah24

What type of stretching? Which muscles? You 100% sure it's not psychological?

TBH stretching won't really reduce pumps..can help rid LA though

Tall

This one:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4MbO3-U4rSk

(The name of the stretch is wrong though)

It cracks my back nicely (I do this stretch daily) and I've used it PWO before to reduce lower back pumps (it may just be coincidence and timing...?)

Wasn't psychological no - I was psyched up on Eph and angry hip hop

What was "a pain" with the lower back pump, then became impossible after stretching. (It wasn't fatigue before you ask, - I immediately proceeded to set a load of PBs on Pulldowns and Rows )

phys sam

The research into stretching and subsequent muscle contaction is poor...but then so is lots of research! A systematic review into stretching effects and performance would show what nearly all systematic reviews show, that any randomised controlled trials able to be included don't study anything relevent to us or wide enough to draw any significant conclusions.

Which leaves us in the position we find a lot....different practitioners advocating different approaches dependent on what they find successful in clinical practice (all anecdotal backed up by the studies they've chosen to consider or the people they've chosen to listen to), what courses they've been on, who they were trained by etc etc.......

So the answer is do what feels best mate.....to be honest the psychological effects of stretching and the results that YOU THINK will occur, probably will occur....

I agree with AH24, in that good physio's should be consulted when you have a problem which needs diagnosis. Then the quality of diagnosis will vary....10 practitioners, 10 opinions and all that....so find someone who gets good results with you, you get on with and you trust!

Apart from that you can try any of the advice given above....some might work some won't

Good luck

phys sam

Only thing I forgot to mention is that during stretching you're obviously having an effect on all soft tissues, therefore a consideration of neural structures should be made.

A quick check of neurodynamics could be made when you next see your clinician (or you could try yourself) and this might flag up some markers (in the form of restrictions) that you could try and affect a change in.

phys sam

That stretch can be altered as I'm sure you've found to stretch either your gluts, or your lumbar spine.

When you get the cavitation your obviously localising forces at your lumbar spine. You could probably change which level by altering the amount of flexion/extension in the lower leg.....The more flexed the lower leg the higher up the lumbar spine.

Getting the cavitation might mean you're getting a descending inhibitory pain relieving effect, possible reduction in local muscle tone etc etc (all proposed effects but difficult to prove - again problems with research methods).

I'm not aware of any good research that says habitual 'cracking' damages joints, so again if it works go for it