The importance of stretching Monday May 03 2021 You may think of stretching as something performed only by runners or gymnasts. But we all need to stretch in order to protect our mobility and flexibility. PHOTO | SHUTTERSTOCK Advertisement According to health.harvard.edu, stretching keeps muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend all the way. That puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage.