Not Everything That Feels Tight Needs to Be Stretched

Growing up as an athlete, I got my fair share of injuries. I played soccer, volleyball, and ran cross country from middle school through college, so I spent plenty of time working with athletic trainers when something wasn't feeling right.

The goal was always the same: understand what was going on and create a plan to help me get back to doing what I loved.

An athletic trainer wouldn't simply hand me a list of stretches and send me on my way. The process started with an assessment. We would look at the injury, how I was moving, and what my body could and couldn't do. From there, the plan might include stretching, strengthening, or other exercises, with progress reassessed each time I came back.

That experience taught me a lot about my body—and eventually led me to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science, with a minor in coaching, followed by my licensure in Massage and Bodywork Therapy.

Since then, I've continued studying the body, movement, and the many factors that can contribute to pain or limitation. My goal isn't to promise a "perfect" body or to chase perfect symmetry. It's to better understand how someone is currently moving and determine what may help them move more comfortably and confidently toward their goals.

Assessment Comes First

One of the most important lessons I've learned through my education and practice is the value of assessment.

Before deciding what to do, I want to gather as much relevant information as possible. That starts with an in-depth health intake that looks at things like current work and lifestyle habits, previous injuries, physical activity, and goals.

Then, at the beginning of each session, I perform a body reading and movement assessment. Depending on the person and their goals, this may include observing posture, looking at active and passive movement, comparing side-to-side differences, and identifying areas that may be contributing to a movement pattern.

The purpose isn't to label every asymmetry as a problem. Human bodies are naturally asymmetrical, and not every difference needs to be corrected. Instead, the assessment gives us a starting point and helps guide the session.

For certain bodywork and movement sessions, clients may wear shorts and, if comfortable, a sports bra. This allows me to observe movement and assess the body without sheets or draping getting in the way.

Not Every Tight Muscle Needs to Be Stretched

One of the biggest mistakes we can make is assuming that every area that feels tight needs more stretching.

Sometimes a muscle may feel tight because it has been working harder than other areas. Sometimes limited movement may be influenced by strength, coordination, previous injury, sensitivity, or other factors. That means the solution isn't always to stretch more.

When a client tells me, “This feels tight,” that is where my thought process begins, not where it ends.

I want to know when they feel the tightness and what they are doing when it shows up. Does it happen during a squat, while running, or after sitting at a desk all day? Is their range of motion actually limited, or does it simply feel tight? Does the sensation change when we move differently, add support, or change the load?

This is where assessment becomes important. It helps guide what we do next.

I may look at how someone squats, walks, runs, hinges, or performs the movements that matter to them. I may compare active movement to passive movement and see whether the restriction changes when their body is doing the work versus when I am moving the joint.

Then I start asking: What does this person need more of—and what might they already have enough of? More range of motion More strength? Better control? A different movement strategy? More recovery?

Sometimes stretching is exactly what I choose. Other times, I may focus on muscle activation, coordination, or how someone controls a movement. I may also look at their training volume, recovery, previous injuries, or the demands they are repeatedly placing on their body.

For example, two people can walk into my office saying they both have “tight hips,” but the reason they experience that sensation—and the approach that makes the most sense for each of them—may be completely different.

I am not looking for perfect symmetry, and I don't believe every difference between the right and left side needs to be “corrected.” Instead, I am looking for patterns and asking whether those differences are relevant to the person's symptoms, movement, or goals.

That's why I don't start with a predetermined treatment. I assess first, pay attention to what your body is doing, and use that information to help decide what comes next.

The goal isn't to automatically stretch what feels tight. The goal is to understand why it feels tight and decide what approach makes the most sense for that individual rather than automatically giving both sides the exact same treatment.

Pain and Tightness Are Information

Pain and tightness can give us useful information, but they don't always tell us exactly what the problem is or what the solution should be. Context matters.

Instead of asking, “What can I stretch to make this feeling go away?”, I prefer to ask: “What is happening, and what does my body need right now?”

Sometimes stretching is helpful. Sometimes strengthening is more appropriate. Sometimes the answer is changing how you move, adjusting training, improving recovery, or simply giving your body time.

Assessment helps us make a more informed decision.

So, What is Bodywork?

People often ask me about the difference between a massage and a bodywork session. The truth is, there is a lot of overlap, and the terms don’t have one universal dffinition.

For me, the difference comes down to the intention and how I approach the session.

Massage can be an important part of bodywork, and I use hands-on techniques during both types of sessions. But in a Bodywork and Movement session, I take a more assessment-driven approach. Rather than beginning with a predetermined routine or simply focusing on the area that feels tight or uncomfortable, I look at the bigger picture.

How are you moving? What movements feel limited or uncomfortable? What is your body doing when you perform the activities that matter to you?

From there, the session may include hands-on work, movement, stretching, muscle activation, or other techniques based on what I find and what we're working toward.

The goal isn't to make every body perfectly symmetrical or to “fix” everything I see. It's to better understand your movement and use that information to guide the session.

In other words, my Bodywork and Movement sessions are for the person who wants to be more involved in the process. We'll assess, explore, move, and make decisions together based on what your body is telling us and what you want to get back to doing.

Because effective bodywork isn’t about doing more.

It's about doing what makes sense for your body and your goals.

Curious what a bodywork and movement session looks like? Learn more about bodywork and movement