01/12/2026
Stretching probably isn't going to fix your tight muscles. Tight ≠ short. Tight often means your nervous system is protecting you because of:
1. Low motor control in a range (i.e. you can't keep your back flat when you deadlift)
2. Compensation (one muscle doing another’s job)
3. Guarding (irritated joint/tendon/nerve)
4. True stiffness (less common, 15% of the time according to Norton et al, 2015)
Stop stretching blindly.
Restore joint workspace + build strength in that range of motion + clean up the movement pattern.
Want us to pinpoint the real cause? Book an eval at ASR.
