AP stretching before a workout increases your chance for injury.

[OVERBOARD]

Has anyone seen the Ap article that stretching before a workout actually increase your chance of getting hurt, all this time UPS as been increasing work place injury's, The irony of the all. I believe UPS will need to rethink there polices of stretching before we go to work in the morning. I will bring in a copy of this story into work Monday and tell them I will no longer be stretching in the morning in the name of safety. I know of drivers who have been written up for not stretching in the morning. Here is part of the article " Traditional stretches, like when people bend over to touch their toes or stretch their legs on a fence, often cause the muscles to tighten rather than relax — exactly the opposite of what is needed for physical activity.
Experts say it is like extending a rubber band to its limit. When people stretch to the maximum, they are more likely to pull a muscle.
When you stretch before exercising, your body may think it's at risk of being overstretched. It compensates by contracting and becoming more tense. That means you aren't able to move as fast or as freely, making you more likely to get hurt"

 

[Jones]

You actually have people getting written up for not stretching in the morning? That's hilarious, I would love to see that one go to panel
You should never perform static stretches cold, always after your workout or at least after a good warmup. That's been pretty common knowledge for years.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

I stretch after I run in the morning and before I go to work. Maybe if we did what we needed for our bodies, it wouldn't matter what UPS said about them.

 

[toonertoo]

I stretch for the snooze, the coffee pot, the remote. I dont stretch before work, I stretch enough. My stretching is not a problem. ive been stretched for years.

 

[OVERBOARD]

I don’t know how it is at other centers, but In mine center they have us do stretches at the morning PCM.

 

[Jones]

I don’t know how it is at other centers, but In mine center they have us do stretches at the morning PCM.

Next time they make you do that, grab your hamstring and collapse screaming on the floor. Make them take you to urgent care. I am soo glad I no longer have to attend PCM's.

 

[p228]

I remember reading an article several years ago that said that warming up is more important than stretching before a workout. According to this article warming up is still important but stretching is now harmful.

As far as stretching during the PCM, they used to make us do that too. Nothing like having forty people balancing on one leg for the quad stretch. Of course, now you might have to do jumping jacks instead.

 

[tourists24]

The same thing has been going on here for a while now.... hey, they wanna pay me for this silly stuff? It has been very overbearing here lately.... we now have people getting written up for not wearing UPS socks if you wear shorts. Sooooo, Ive been advising everyone to put the long pants on with neon colored socks. Just make sure everyone sees them at some point

 

[hurricanegunner]

Next time they make you do that, grab your hamstring and collapse screaming on the floor. Make them take you to urgent care. I am soo glad I no longer have to attend PCM's.

This it TOO funny!!

 

[SWORDFISH]

Next time they make you do that, grab your hamstring and collapse screaming on the floor. Make them take you to urgent care. I am soo glad I no longer have to attend PCM's.

LOL! Coincidentally I was stretching recently between p/up basketball games because my hamstring felt tight. Well the very next game their goes my hamstring(slight pull). You know how hard it is to do a in city route w/ a pulled hammy.

 

[UnconTROLLed]

LOL! Coincidentally I was stretching recently between p/up basketball games because my hamstring felt tight. Well the very next game their goes my hamstring(slight pull). You know how hard it is to do a in city route w/ a pulled hammy.

Not sure how this coincides with the article. I'm obviously no doctor By stretching it and then continuing playing you likely made it worse. However, it wasn't the stretching that caused the pull. It is best to rest when injured and slowly rehabilitate rather than continue using it. Sorry for the common sense conjecture.

 

[over9five]

I stretch every day before the PCM (even in Feeders!). I find when I don't stretch, I get tired a lot earlier.
The PCM stretch is all BS. You really have to hold each stretch for at least 10 seconds. Not enough time in a PCM.

 

[stevetheupsguy]

I stretch every day before the PCM (even in Feeders!). I find when I don't stretch, I get tired a lot earlier.
The PCM stretch is all BS. You really have to hold each stretch for at least 10 seconds. Not enough time in a PCM.

Make that 30-45 seconds. The way they teach you to "stretch" at a PCM doesn't have any effect on ones musculature. It's the equivalent to them speaking about cancer/heart disease and all the other stuff, for 30 seconds (while everyone is clamoring to bolt out the door), and expect some sort of retention.

 

[tieguy]

Next time they make you do that, grab your hamstring and collapse screaming on the floor. Make them take you to urgent care. I am soo glad I no longer have to attend PCM's.

hopefully he won't get fired for faking an injury.

i think any discipline administered is stupid but if they want to pay him to stretch during the pcm then whats the big deal?

 

[stevetheupsguy]

What next, the Pledge of Allegiance? Prayer circles?

 

[OVERBOARD]

I would ever fake a injury, but it is funny by them having us do cold stretches they are actually increasing our chances for injury.
.

 

[OVERBOARD]

Maybe IE needs to investigate the Injury frequency between centers that have there drivers do cold stretches and centers that do not.

 

[feederdriver06]

Ive been playing hockey for 30+ years and I never stretch before practice or games. I learned a long time ago that stretching didn't do anything for me other than give me pulled muscles or other issues during the event. Maybe it works for some but for me absolutely not.

 

[Jones]

Ive been playing hockey for 30+ years and I never stretch before practice or games. I learned a long time ago that stretching didn't do anything for me other than give me pulled muscles or other issues during the event. Maybe it works for some but for me absolutely not.

Yup, if you stretch without warming up that's pretty much exactly what will happen. Stretching doesn't get you ready for an athletic event (or a day of delivering packages), in fact for a lot of events it's counter productive. Proper post workout stretching should aid in recovery and if done consistently should give you some increased flexibility over the long term. If UPS was serious about getting us ready for the workday they would ditch the stretching and instead do some kind of dynamic warmup, but that would be time consuming and would require a manager who could safely engage in physical activity.

 

[SignificantOwner]

Yup, if you stretch without warming up that's pretty much exactly what will happen. Stretching doesn't get you ready for an athletic event (or a day of delivering packages), in fact for a lot of events it's counter productive. Proper post workout stretching should aid in recovery and if done consistently should give you some increased flexibility over the long term. If UPS was serious about getting us ready for the workday they would ditch the stretching and instead do some kind of dynamic warmup, but that would be time consuming and would require a manager who could safely engage in physical activity.

I agree with you, stretching cold muscles is not good. I don't understand why corporate doesn't standardize the requirement. If stretching (or a warm-up) is mandated corporately then a process based on good science should be rolled out uniformly and the accompanying time allowances should be added to the standards. Right now the process is inconsistent and lame and the time spent goes into excess hours.