How to Use a Stretching Strap for Improved Range of Motion and Flexibility

Stretching is an excellent way to improve your range of motion and flexibility and help you return to a state of recovery after a workout. There are many ways to approach stretching, including static holds and more dynamic, active movements, each offering different benefits.

Using a stretching strap to help you deepen a stretch or provide a modification is a great way to tailor your stretching session to your abilities and needs. Though stretching strap exercises are common in yoga, they also can be useful for post-workout cooldowns and active rest days.

Here, you can learn more about stretching straps and their benefits. You also will find expert tips on how to use them and what you can do to make them more effective.

What Is a Stretching Strap?

Stretching straps are bands made from flexible but sturdy materials such as nylon or thick cotton weave that come in varying lengths but are typically around six feet long and are often adjustable. The straps themselves don't stretch like resistance bands do but instead offer a stable, bendable surface to push against while stretching.

Some straps have loops or handles for holding with your hands or slipping your feet into for support. Buckles are also featured on some straps so you can link ends to create a larger loop to help achieve specific movements.

Benefits of Using a Stretching Strap

Besides being portable and easy to use, stretching straps offer specific physical benefits. Here are some potential benefits of using a stretching strap.

Increased Range of Motion

According to Ingrid Anderson, DPT, a doctor of physical therapy and orthopedic clinical specialist with Intown Physical Therapy in Atlanta, Georgia, the most obvious benefit of stretching is improved movement. She explains that when a muscle does work, it shortens, pulling the bones of a joint in a particular direction.

If strained, overworked, or constantly held in a shortened position, the muscle loses its ability to lengthen and allow movement in other directions. When you stretch, you pull the muscle into a more lengthened position, allowing opposing muscles to move the joint as they are meant to, she says.

In short, stretching with relaxed muscles helps improve joint range of motion, which, in turn, improves weight lifting skills and sports performance as well as everyday functioning. Using a strap for stretching also relaxes the muscle groups being stretched, providing a much more effective stretch than trying to stretch a muscle while it is contracting, Dr. Anderson says.

"It gives us a larger lever, allowing us to apply more force or more targeted force to the muscles we are trying to stretch," she says.

Improved Body Awareness

Any time you move your body into different positions, as you might do with a stretch routine, you improve your body awareness and proprioception (or knowing where your joints are in space). Using a stretch strap as a part of your movement routine can help you slow down and be mindful of where your body is in space. 

That said, there is conflicting evidence regarding whether stretching is beneficial or necessary, particularly regarding injury prevention and static stretching before a workout or sports performance.

"There is very limited evidence that stretching prevents injury," says Dr. Anderson. 

Static stretching can cause impairments in performance without proper dynamic warm-up activities. It's best to avoid static stretching unless paired with more active movements, or else it can actually increase the risk of injury.

Ways to Use a Stretching Strap

If you are new to stretching, particularly with a stretching strap, you will need some guidance on how best to proceed. Below, Dr. Anderson provides a few ways to use a stretching strap.

Hamstring Stretch With Strap

This variation of a hamstring stretch with a strap is suitable for those with back pain, people who are very inflexible, or those who are older. Just make sure you have a healthcare provider's clearance if you fall into one of these categories.

Beginner

1. Start by placing a strap around the foot of the leg you intend to stretch. 
2. Lay back, bending the opposite knee so the foot is flat on the bed or floor.
3. Begin lifting your affected leg, keeping your knee straight.
4. Use the strap to provide a comfortable stretch behind the back of your leg and knee. 
5. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
6. Repeat as desired.

Advanced

The other, more intense version of this hamstring stretch is suitable for someone who is more flexible. You will need to work up to this variation, but here is how it is done.

1. Begin by lying on your back.
2. Extend your left leg and flex your foot (toes toward your nose).
3. Take the strap and place it over the ball of your affected foot.
4. Grab the strap close to your foot with both hands.
5. Inhale and exhale as you begin to straighten your right leg.
6. Pull your leg gently back toward you until you feel a stretch all the way down the back side of the leg.
7. Keep your head and spine pressed into the floor and your unaffected leg straight and pushed onto the floor.
8. Work on pulling the leg closer to the head with each inhalation and exhalation.
9. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
10. Repeat as desired. Then, switch sides. 

Hamstring Primers

This hamstring primer is an active movement that helps prepare your hamstring for activity. To avoid bicep fatigue, you can hold the strap with straight arms. Here's a closer look at how it is done.

1. Begin by lying on your back with your legs straight.
2. Place the strap around your affected foot and apply tension.
3. Raise your leg slowly, keeping it straight against the tension of the band, and return to the starting position.
4. Make sure you feel the stretch along the back of your leg.
5. Repeat as desired.

Quad Stretch With Strap

According to Dr. Anderson, there are two ways to perform a quad stretch—on your stomach (prone) or your back (supine). Here is how you perform each stretch.

Prone

1. Begin by lying on your stomach.
2. Wrap a belt around your ankle and gently pull the strap over your shoulder, bringing your heel toward your buttocks. 
3. Make sure you feel a stretch along the front of your thigh.
4. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
5. Repeat one to two times. 

Supine

1. Begin by lying at the edge of a mat or bed, keeping the thigh in contact with the surface.
2. Hang the lower leg off the edge with the strap wrapped around your foot and ankle.
3. Keep the opposite leg bent and maintain contact on the surface with your lower back.
4. Place the strap around the foot of the leg off the edge of the bed and pull it back toward your shoulder.
5. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
6. Repeat one to two times. 

Shoulder Stretch With Strap 

While it is possible to stretch your shoulder, the only way Dr. Anderson recommends using a strap for the shoulder is by stretching up the back using internal rotation. She says most people will not need this stretch, but it's useful for anyone with specific shoulder issues— and only if their doctor has cleared them.

She also warns that even when this stretch is done correctly, it tends to be uncomfortable for most people, So avoid doing this stretch if you feel discomfort or pain. Here are the details on how it is done if you decide to try it.

1. Place the hand of your arm to be exercised behind your back and toss the strap over the opposite shoulder. 
2. Grab hold of the strap with your hand behind the back and begin to lift the hand to the back.
3. Pull the strap with the opposite hand to assist with the stretch.
4. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
5. Repeat one to two times.

Heel Slide for Limited Mobility

Heel slides are a great way to use a stretching strap if you have limited mobility. They are a traditional physical therapy exercise that improves the range of motion of the knee joint and are useful for anyone with low back pain. Just make sure a healthcare provider gives you permission to try these out.

1. Begin lying on your back with a strap looped around your foot on the affected side.
2. Grasp the strap and pull so your foot moves toward your buttock and your knee bends into a stretch while keeping your heel in contact with the surface you are on.
3. Pull until you feel a moderate stretch, but do not push beyond what is tolerable.
4. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then slowly lower back to the starting position.
5. Keep your foot and knee in line with your hip.

Gastrocnemius Calf Stretch

Calf stretches help relieve tightness and pain, especially in people who use their calves a lot, such as runners or anyone working on their feet for long periods. Make sure your knee is not hyperextending as you perform this stretch. If you have hyperextension, place a towel roll under your ankle and perform the same stretch.

1. Begin in a seated position with both legs straight out in front of you and your feet and toes pointed toward the ceiling.
2. Place the strap around the sole of your foot and hold the other end with both hands.
3. Pull gently toward you until you feel a stretch in your calf.
4. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
5. Repeat as desired.

Soleus Calf Stretch

To perform this stretch, you will need a foam roller or bolster to place under your knees. Ensure your knee doesn't bend any more than the foam roller bends it during this stretch. Here is how it is performed.

1. Begin by sitting with both legs in front of you and a foam roller or bolster under your knees.
2. Place the strap around your forefoot.
3. Pull on the strap so your ankle flexes toward you. You should feel a stretch at the back of your lower leg.
4. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
5. Repeat as desired.

Additional Tips and Tricks for Using a Stretching Strap

Using a stretching strap takes some getting used to, especially if you have never used one before. Here are a few essential tips and tricks to ensure a safe and effective stretching session.

Warm-Up Before Stretching

Before you begin a stretching strap session, you should warm up your muscles. If you aren't using your stretching strap directly after a workout, engaging in a brief warm-up, such as a brisk walk or a few squat jumps, can increase blood flow to the muscles and make them more pliable. This may help prevent injuries and make your stretches more effective.

Listen to Your Body

While stretching can sometimes be uncomfortable, it should never be painful. If you experience any pain while using your stretching strap, stop immediately.

Adjust the intensity of the stretch or your position as needed. Remember, stretching is meant to gently increase flexibility and range of motion, not to cause pain. There are no bonus points for going past your comfort level.

Breathe Deeply

Many people tend to hold their breath while stretching without realizing it. Focus on deep, controlled breathing throughout your stretches to promote relaxation and blood flow and increase effectiveness.

Bottom Line

A stretching strap is a useful tool that can improve your flexibility and range of motion while easing you into a more relaxed state after a training session or sports performance. By providing extra support and helping you maintain proper form, a stretching strap can make your stretching routine more effective and enjoyable.