The Myth of ‘Tight’ Muscles: Why You Might Need Strength, Not Stretching
Greg Goldberger • August 25, 2025
The real reason your muscles always feel tight (and what to do instead)
“I stretch every day—but I still feel tight.”
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. One of the most common things we hear from clients is that no matter how much they stretch, their muscles still feel stiff or restricted. Whether it’s tight hamstrings, calves, hips, or shoulders, many people are chasing flexibility when what their body actually needs is strength.
Welcome to the myth of tight muscles—and let’s break it down.
What Does “Tight” Actually Mean?
When most people say a muscle feels “tight,” they’re usually describing one of three sensations:
- A dull ache or tension when moving
- A feeling of restricted range of motion
- The urge to stretch that muscle frequently
But tightness isn’t always about short or inflexible muscles. In fact, it’s often a sign that a muscle is overworking to compensate for another muscle that isn’t doing its job—or that it’s simply weak and guarding.
Stretching Feels Good…But It Might Be a Temporary Fix
Let’s be clear—stretching isn’t bad. It can be a helpful tool for relaxation, blood flow, and temporarily improving range of motion. But when you’ve been stretching the same muscle for months with little to no improvement, it’s time to zoom out.
Example:
A client recently came in complaining of tight hamstrings. She had been doing yoga, foam rolling, and stretching every day. But nothing stuck. After assessing her movement, we found that her glutes and core weren’t activating well during activity. As a result, her hamstrings were constantly “on,” trying to stabilize her hips.
What helped?
Strengthening her glutes and trunk. Within weeks, her hamstrings stopped feeling tight—without adding a single extra stretch.
Why Strength Solves “Tightness”
Here’s what’s really happening behind the scenes:
- Weak muscles = poor control.
When your body doesn’t trust a muscle to do its job, it creates stiffness as a protective mechanism.
- Your nervous system matters.
If your brain thinks a joint is unstable, it will signal surrounding muscles to tighten up and guard.
- Strength provides security.
Once your body knows a muscle group is strong and stable, it will stop holding tension unnecessarily.
Common “Tight” Muscles That Actually Need Strengthening
- Hip Flexors
Often tight due to weak glutes and deep core.
- Hamstrings
Compensating for poor glute function and weak posterior chain.
- Calves
Overworking when ankles are unstable or when foot control is limited.
- Neck and Traps
Stiff because of weak postural muscles or poor thoracic mobility.
Try This Instead of Just Stretching:
Here’s a quick approach you can try:
- Activate the opposing muscle before stretching (e.g., fire up the glutes before stretching hip flexors).
- Train through full range of motion using controlled strength (e.g., lunges, bridges, deadlifts).
- Assess movement quality, not just flexibility.
Need help figuring out where your “tightness” is really coming from? That’s where we come in.
Let’s Bust This Myth—Together
Chronic tightness doesn’t have to be your norm. If stretching alone hasn’t worked for you, it’s time to get assessed by a movement expert who can help uncover the root cause.
Book a discovery call today
to help you move better, feel stronger, and finally ditch the foam roller-only routine.
Learn how proactive physical therapy helps you stay strong, mobile, and pain-free for life with movement checkups and prevention tips from Dr. Greg Goldberg.
Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical care — yet it’s also one of the most misunderstood. From outdated advice to over-reliance on scans, misinformation often keeps people stuck in cycles of pain and frustration. Let’s clear up the confusion with a few evidence-based truths every person should know about back pain. 1. Rest Is Not Best For years, people were told to “rest” when their back hurt — but research now tells us otherwise. Complete rest can actually delay recovery by weakening muscles, stiffening tissues, and reducing blood flow to healing areas. Truth: Gentle, smart movement is usually better. A physical therapist can guide you through safe exercises to restore motion and strength without aggravating your pain. 2. You Don’t Always Need an MRI or X-ray It’s natural to want answers, but imaging isn’t always the solution. In fact, many people with no back pain at all show “abnormalities” like bulging discs or arthritis on their scans. Truth: A skilled physical exam often reveals more than an MRI — and rarely changes the initial treatment plan. Physical therapy focuses on how your body moves and functions, not just what shows up on a picture. 3. Pain Doesn’t Always Mean Damage When your back hurts, it’s easy to assume something is “broken.” But pain is more like a fire alarm — it signals a problem, not necessarily damage. Truth: The nervous system can become overly sensitive due to stress, inflammation, or past injury. Learning how to move confidently again can actually calm those pain signals. 4. Surgery Isn’t the First Line of Defense Spine surgery can be lifesaving in rare cases — such as severe nerve compression, progressive weakness, or loss of bladder/bowel control — but it’s not the go-to for most back pain. Truth: The majority of back pain improves with conservative care like physical therapy, exercise, and lifestyle changes. Your body is designed to heal — it just needs the right plan and guidance. 5. Deadlifting Isn’t “Bad” for Your Back It’s not the deadlift that’s the problem — it’s the technique. When done properly, deadlifts strengthen the core, glutes, and spinal stabilizers, helping prevent future injury. Truth: Good form and progressive loading are key. Physical therapy for back pain often includes teaching proper lifting mechanics so you can move with confidence in and out of the gym. 6. A Herniated Disc Isn’t a Life Sentence Scary phrases like “slipped disc” or “blown out disc” sound permanent, but they’re misleading. Many people live pain-free with disc herniations. Truth: Studies show that disc changes are incredibly common even in people without pain: 20s: ~30% 30s: ~40% 40s: ~50% 50s: ~60% 60+: ~70–80% With guided movement and strengthening, most disc-related pain improves — often without surgery. 7. Your Back Doesn’t “Go Out of Place” Ever heard someone say their back “went out”? It sounds dramatic, but the spine is actually one of the most stable structures in the body. Truth: Adjustments or manipulations may provide temporary relief, but nothing is being “put back in.” Physical therapy focuses on building long-term stability and movement control so you don’t feel like your back is unpredictable. 8. Back Pain Isn’t Just a Normal Part of Aging While back pain is common, it’s not inevitable. Age plays a smaller role than most people think. Truth: Strength, mobility, posture, and lifestyle choices have a bigger impact on back health than birthdays do. Many people in their 60s, 70s, and beyond live active, pain-free lives with the right approach to movement and care. What Physical Therapy Really Does for Back Pain At Movement Driven Performance Physiotherapy, treatment goes far beyond passive care. We use personalized movement, manual therapy, and education to help you understand your pain and take control of your recovery. You’ll learn how to move safely, build strength where it matters most, and restore confidence in your body — so pain doesn’t keep calling the shots. Take the Next Step Don’t let back pain limit your life. Schedule a one-on-one assessment today to discover how physical therapy for back pain can help you move better, feel stronger, and live pain-free. Book Your Discovery Call TODAY!
Discover how stress, hormones, and anatomy impact women’s recovery and performance. In this Movement Driven Podcast episode, Dr. Greg and Elza van Niekerk share insights on training smarter, healing faster, and staying strong through every stage of life.
Discover the benefits of proactive physical therapy at Movement Driven. Learn how preventive PT reduces injuries, supports independence, and keeps you moving for life.
If you’re a working parent who wants to keep up with your kids without sacrificing your body, this episode is for you.
Discover how physical therapy for working parents helps moms and dads manage pain, prevent injury, and stay active for their families.
From tackling myths about “middle age” to breaking down the science of muscle, bone density, and tendon health, this conversation will show you that it’s never too early—or too late—to invest in your strength and movement.
Aging is inevitable—but losing your independence doesn’t have to be. The way you move, strengthen, and care for your body now will shape how active and capable you feel in your 40s, 70s, and beyond.
Have you ever been told you’ll “just have to live with it” when it comes to pain? At Movement Driven, we hear this all the time—and we’re here to tell you it’s not true. In the very first episode of The Movement Driven Podcast, Dr. Greg Goldberger, PT, DPT, breaks down why chronic pain is more complex than most people realize, why the traditional rehab model often fails, and what it really takes to find lasting relief. From debunking myths about back pain to sharing patient stories that will give you hope, this conversation is all about showing you that pain is not a life sentence. If you’ve tried everything and feel stuck, this episode is for you. 👉 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube to hear the full conversation.
Don’t settle for a life with pain. Discover how Movement Driven helps patients find chronic pain relief in Jacksonville with personalized physical therapy and movement-based care.