The Truth About Stretching: Tissue Tension vs. Joint Compression
When most people think about stretching, they picture the classic hamstring reach or quad pull, aiming to “feel the stretch” as much as possible. But here’s a reality check: that intense sensation isn’t always a sign of progress. In fact, if you’re stretching to the point of joint discomfort or blindly chasing tightness, you might be reinforcing dysfunction instead of resolving it.
This article breaks down a more precise way to think about stretching—based on principles taught by Dr. Andreo Spina in the Functional Range Conditioning (FRC) system—by exploring where you’re feeling the stretch, what it really means, and how to respond.
Stretch Sensation: What Are You Really Feeling?
When you stretch, the sensation you feel can come from two main sources:
Soft Tissue Lengthening
This is what we typically aim for. You’re creating tension through a muscle, tendon, or fascia, producing a stretching sensation on the opposite side of a joint from where you’re moving. For example, during a hamstring stretch, you ideally feel a dull, tolerable tension in the back of the thigh.Closing Angle Joint Pinch
This is the red flag most people don’t recognize. Instead of tension on the long side of the joint, you feel a pinch, block, or discomfort on the same side you’re moving toward. Using the hamstring stretch example, if you feel a pinching sensation in the front of your hip, you’re not stretching your hamstring effectively—you’re likely compressing the hip joint.
Closing Angle Joint Pinch: Why It Matters
That pinching feeling isn’t a sign of a good stretch. It’s often your body’s way of signaling joint compression or capsular restriction in the joint itself. Pushing through it can:
Irritate the joint
Create compensatory patterns
Reinforce mobility limitations
A closing angle pinch is especially common in areas like the hips, shoulders, and spine—places where joint congruency and active control are essential for movement integrity.
When to Push Through vs. When to Stop
The goal of stretching isn’t just to “feel something”—it’s to create usable range of motion. So, how do you know when to keep going and when to back off?
GOOD STRETCH (Keep Going):
Feels like a dull tension on the lengthening side of the joint
No sharp pain or localized joint discomfort
Tolerable and slowly improving over time with breath and control
BAD STRETCH (Stop or Modify):
Feels like a pinch on the same side as the movement
Localized to the joint (e.g., front of hip or shoulder)
Increases with added force or range, with no change in tissue length feeling
In FRC, if you encounter a closing angle pinch, the solution isn’t to force your way deeper—it’s to regress, reposition, or address the local joint limitations through joint-specific work like Controlled Articular Rotations (CARs), isometric loading (PAILs/RAILs), or capsular-focused mobility drills.
Mobility vs. Flexibility: Why Control Matters
Dr. Spina emphasizes the difference between passive flexibility (how far you can stretch) and active mobility (how much range you can control). Most injuries don’t only occur because someone lacked the ability to passively reach a position—they occur when someone lacked control within that range.
This is why “just stretching” is often not enough. It’s better to train your range of motion with intention, using techniques that teach the nervous system to own new positions. FRC achieves this through:
CARs: Daily joint movement through its entire range of motion and assessing for restriction
PAILs/RAILs: Isometric loading in lengthened positions to expand your usable range of motion
End-range training: Strengthening the muscles and joints at the limits of motion to make it more neurologically accessible & resilient
Stretch With Awareness, Not Aggression
Next time you stretch, ask yourself:
Where am I feeling this? Is it soft tissue tension or joint compression?
If you feel a clean, lengthening tension—keep going. If you feel a pinch—adjust. Stretching isn’t about forcing tissues to yield; it’s about teaching your body to move better through usable, controlled range of motion.
Move with purpose, not into pain.
Ready to translate this knowledge into real-world results? Book a personalized Movement Assessment with me to pinpoint exactly where your mobility is limited—whether it shows up as lingering pain, stubborn tightness, or just feeling less fluid in everyday tasks. In one focused session we’ll map your current range of motion, identify joint pinch versus true tissue restriction, and craft a step-by-step plan to expand usable mobility so every stride, lift, and reach feels effortless. Don’t guess at what your body needs—discover it, then train it with purpose.
Contact Garrett to schedule your assessment today and start moving the way you were built to move.