Researchers from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse have found that passive stretching before a run helps protect blood vessels from the stress of aerobic exercise. They plan to share these findings at the American Physiology Summit, highlighting a simple practice that could support vascular health for runners and athletes in North America.
Passive stretching, also known as static stretching, keeps a body part held in a fixed position for an extended period. In a study involving sixteen college students, both men and women, researchers observed a notable reduction in how quickly the body could deliver oxygen to tissues after a run when passive stretching was not used. In contrast, participants who engaged in passive stretching showed a slower drop in tissue oxygenation post-exercise, suggesting a protective mechanism for muscle and vascular function during recovery.
Beyond preserving oxygen delivery, those who performed passive stretches experienced a faster return of oxygen to tissues and a quicker restoration of circulation after exercise. The findings also showed that blood vessels widened more readily and fully during running among these participants, driven by the enhanced blood flow that accompanies the stretching routine. In practical terms, this could translate to improved endurance and a more efficient recovery window after workouts for runners and active individuals.
While the researchers acknowledge that more work is needed to understand the full scope of passive stretching on vascular health, they emphasize that this approach is inexpensive, easy to implement, and accessible to people with varying fitness levels. The study suggests that incorporating short static stretch sessions into warmups or cooldowns may offer a practical tool to support blood vessel resilience and reduce aerobic stress during running and other sustained activities.