It’s the most common confession we hear at Pursuit Physiotherapy:
“My hamstrings have been tight for five years. I’ve been doing stretching every day, but they just won’t let go.”
You’ve likely felt it yourself—that nagging stiffness during a walk at Beacon Hill Park, or the “iron-band” sensation across your shoulders after a deadline. The instinct is almost universal: reach, pull, and hold until it gives.
But if stretching worked, wouldn’t you be loose by now?
Research from 2024 and 2025 is shifting our understanding of muscle tension. It turns out that stretching a “tight” muscle can sometimes be like trying to silence a fire alarm by pulling out the batteries instead of putting out the fire.
The “Security Guard” Metaphor: Why Muscles Tighten
Think of your nervous system as the security team for your body. When the “guards” (your brain) perceive a threat—whether it’s a lack of strength, a previous injury, or instability—they send a signal to the muscles to increase tone.
This isn’t “structural” tightness (where the muscle has physically shortened like a shrunken wool sweater). It is “neurological” tension.
The muscle is “guarding” the area to prevent further movement that the brain deems unsafe. In these cases, the sensation of “tightness” is actually your brain’s way of creating artificial stability where it feels you are lacking real strength.
Why Strengthening Beats Stretching
Recent high-quality evidence is challenging the “just stretch it” status quo, particularly for persistent “tightness.”
- Eccentrics for Length & Strength: A 2025 study in Sports Medicine highlights that eccentric training (strengthening a muscle while it lengthens) induces significant adaptations in muscle fascicle length and tissue robustness. Essentially, loading the muscle through its range effectively “convinces” the nervous system that the range is safe to access, whereas passive stretching often provides only temporary sensory relief.
- The Capacity Problem: When a muscle is weak, it fatigues quickly. A fatigued muscle tightens up to protect itself. Stretching a weak, tired muscle might make it feel better for 20 minutes, but it doesn’t solve the underlying lack of capacity.
In short: If your hamstrings feel tight because they are weak and overworking to stabilize your pelvis, stretching them is just pulling on a tired security guard.
The Pursuit Framework: Beyond the Stretch
At Pursuit, we move beyond the “pull and pray” method. We use a graduated approach to help your body feel safe enough to let go of the parking brake.
1. Desensitize (Calm the Alarm)
If a muscle is in a “protective spasm,” we use techniques like Dry Needling or gentle manual therapy to reduce the immediate threat. This isn’t a permanent “fix,” but it creates a “window of opportunity” to move without the “brake” being held down.
2. Build the Foundation
Once the “alarm” is quieter, we introduce load. We often focus on Eccentrics—exercises where the muscle is working while it lengthens—to build robustness.
3. Integrate to real-world Resilience
Finally, we apply this to your life in Victoria. Whether you are training for the TC10K or hiking the slippery trails at Mount Douglas, we ensure your body can handle the specific demands of your lifestyle without needing to “guard” itself.
Does Stretching ever Help
Yes, but dosage and timing are everything. Stretching can be a wonderful tool for “down-regulation” (relaxing the nervous system) before bed. However, if you find yourself stretching the same spot every day for months with no lasting change, you aren’t dealing with a short muscle—you’re dealing with a protective strategy.
The take-home message: Stop trying to “fix” the sensation and start addressing the reason for the tension.
Key References
- Andrews, M. H., et al. (2025). “Hamstring Injury Mechanisms and Eccentric Training-Induced Muscle Adaptations: Current Insights and Future Directions.” Sports Medicine.
- Visser, T. S. S., et al. (2025). “Normative values for calf muscle strength-endurance in the general population.” Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy.
- Lopes, A. D., et al. (2025). “Exercise for patellar tendinopathy.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
- Fearon, A. M. (2025). “Physiotherapy management of gluteal tendinopathy.” Journal of Physiotherapy.
Disclaimer: The content provided here is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Every injury is unique. For a specific diagnosis and treatment plan, please book an appointment with our team.
