AARP highlights what you need to know before going to a stretching studio according to experts including Ben Yamuder, MS, CSCS, USAW-1, exercise physiologist at HSS.

When you’re in your 30s and 40s, you may ‍chase strength or endurance: heavier weights, longer runs. But after 50, what your body really craves might be something quieter but just as good for you: a solid stretch.

And we all should be stretching more. Studies show that stretching can improve multiple health conditions as we age, including joint pain and balance; it may even keep us walking longer, which has its own health benefits.

A stretch studio might be a good idea if you’re not likely to stretch regularly enough on your own. “I think having an appointment to actually get yourself up and go somewhere, no matter what, is a great piece of accountability,” Yamuder said.

Yamuder also noted that assisted stretching can help if you don't have much fitness or athletic experience. 

People who are sedentary can benefit most from assisted stretching because they have the most muscle imbalances, according to Yamuder. “When you’re sitting a lot, what can happen is your hip flexors get very tight and shortened, [and] your hamstrings can shorten and get tight. And that’s why you start to see some of the hunching of the back, and you can’t fully extend at the hips.”

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