Stretching vs Strengthening: A real-life story!
Well, everyone loves a real-life example—and let’s be honest, there’s something oddly satisfying about a story where things don’t quite go to plan. Maybe it’s because we can all relate, or maybe it’s just human nature to learn more from what not to do.
As an avid "old man" football player (over-35s), I’ve got no shortage of case studies among my teammates. Let’s just say the dream of going pro is probably well behind us—and between work, family, and everyday life, some of the lads aren’t exactly in peak physical condition. A few of us hold it together all right, but aging gracefully definitely brings its fair share of injury risk.
On the bright side, these injuries give me plenty of material for our clinic newsletters. We've had some great success stories too—like our recent one featuring Patient Number 7 and their naturally healed ACL. (If you missed it, you can check it out here:
👉 D-Day for Patient Number 7
But today’s story? Not quite a success...
When Stretching Just Isn’t Enough
Hamstring strains are unfortunately common, especially in sports like football, rugby, and hockey. Treatment depends on the stage and severity of the injury, plus the goals of the athlete. But one thing we always stress is the importance of strengthening to prevent repeat injuries.
One of my teammates—who’s had hamstring issues before—strained his again. He was heading overseas, and with a couple of game-free weekends, he had a solid window of around 6–8 weeks to rehab properly. The advice? Crystal clear:
You need to strengthen this. A lot.
Fast forward eight weeks, and he's back for his first game.
“How’d the strengthening go?” I asked—already suspecting the answer.
“Oh, I’ve just been stretching. It’s been eight weeks, so I figured it would be fine,” he said.
You can guess what happened next. He was playing well for about 20 minutes—moving freely, getting stuck in—and then pop. The hammy went again.
The Takeaway
So, what’s the moral of the story?
We don’t prescribe strengthening exercises just for fun. They’re not optional—they’re essential.
Stretching has its place, but when it comes to hamstring injuries (and many others), strengthening is key to staying on the field and avoiding repeat setbacks.
Take it from my mate: follow the plan, do the work, and give your body the best chance to bounce back—and stay there.
