Overstretching danger: You are hurting your muscles

Muscles rely on the "stretch reflex" mechanism to protect themselves whenever you overstretch muscle fibers. Whether it's because you're moving too fast or too forcefully, the nerves send signals to the muscle to contract, thus preventing damage. This is why overstretching can make the muscles you want to stretch even tighter. Overstretching or stretching too quickly activates the stretch reflex, which tightens the muscles and can lead to pain and sports injuries. This occurs due to the breakdown of muscle microfibers, slowly causing the injured tissue to lose elasticity and become tight and sore. When stretching becomes painful, it can be hard to stay motivated to stretch and exercise regularly. Therefore, it's crucial to avoid pain during stretching. The stretching should be gentle and soothing, with movements that are slow and controlled. Avoid making the stretching amplitude too large or moving too fast.