Customer Reviews

Stretch-Out Strap with New Instructional booklet

5 star:		(79)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a very sturdy, strong high-quality strap. The length of it is a series of loops. It will outlast us.

I first experienced this at the physical therapist's office and was instructed in its use. Physical therapists call it "the green strap" because supposedly they're all green no matter who makes them. The instruction booklet that comes with it shows far more stretches than I was taught at therapy, so you're pretty well covered.

I've used this strap for 2 years now and it works. You can easily stretch your hamstrings, hips & quads in as challenging a manner as you want with this strap.

Although the manual shows many positions for using the strap, I only use it while lying on my back. As an example, you can place the ball of your foot in an end loop and pull one of the other loops such that your leg is straight up and hold it there, and you can make it as challenging as you like. Then you also pull your leg to each side, one side at a time, and pull up on the strap to try to make your leg perpendicular to your back, and again hold it there. This takes a lot of pressure off the sciatic nerve and should be part of the stretching routine that accompanies the muscle strengthening routines that you need to do.

An important point is this: even if you have a good routine with stretching, you will still be able to accomplish things with this strap that you couldn't otherwise. Once you try it, it will be intuitive.

The best tip I can give is to use something thicker than a typical yoga mat, the thicker the better. The one excuse I used to skip using the strap is that the floor is too hard even with a thin yoga mat. I solved that by getting an exercise mat that is probably 3 times as thick as a typical yoga mat. I attached this one since it looks a little like mine, although this is not the one I got and so I cannot vouch for it. But think about finding a thick mat of some kind so that you'll enjoy using the strap. Everlast Roll up Exercise Mat

This is great!. WIth the various loops, I can use it to stretch just about every part of my body. It is light weight and easy to pack in a suitcase.

Many tell you to get a necktie or a towel. Those are fine in a pinch, but do not allow for full range of motion as this does. Everyone interested in stretching properly should have this! It is light weight and small so it packs well. There are loops all along the strap so it "fits" each individual. Your hands can easily grasp the strap/the strap fits in your hand well and your hands do not hurt when using it. The book that comes with it is the best that I have seen. It is not bulky or packed with useless info. Pictures are well done. They illistrate which muscles are targeted for a particular stretch and it shows you exacltly how to use or place the strap in an easy to follow manner.

As a physical therapist I can say this is an excellent little tool to help increase flexibility. I have two in my clinic and finally got one for myself at home. It really gives you more options for how to stretch, and makes stretching more comfortable (oxymoron I know). The booklet it comes with is very good, actually gave me some good ideas to try out.
I've worked with several different types of stretch straps and this style is the best. And these last a very long time; the ones in my clinic are used and abused many times a day and usually last several years. One in your home will last much longer than that.

This strap does what it's supposed to do and I like it. A note - it's not stretchy material, but regular material so if ur looking for something that stretches/flexes this is not it.

"The green strap" is a standard piece of Physical Therapy equipment used to provide leverage and resistance in muscle stretches. I bought this rugged strap primarily to stretch my hamstrings, rendered extremely tight by congenital Cerebral Palsy.

This particular green strap is made up of a series of loops, into which a user can place either the feet or the hands. The numerous loops allow for a pattern of long-term progressive stretching. I have used other green straps before, most of which have been coarse, causing pain or friction burns to the hands or feet. That is NOT the case here. Many green straps have buckles which can dig into the extremities. Again, NOT the case here. I've always disliked stretching which is a painful experience. Using this particular strap it has become a positive challenge. This strap also comes with a 40 page illustrated guide showing various and sundry stretches.

When I started using this strap I could walk only with assistance. Over the years I had lost range of motion and functionality. After only two stretching sessions I am already noticing a marked improvement in my ability to walk independently. And I'm not suffering with chafe burns or muscle discomfort. I can't wait to see how I'm doing in a week! I'm sure this strap is going to be a constant companion on the journey.

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

The PT clinic I work at uses these on a daily basis. We let patients use these to stretch calves, legs, arms, and shoulders. It is also great for post-op knee surgeries to assist in early repetitive knee flexion motion. Also good for isometric exercises and PNF stretching techniques.

The sturdy reinforced stitch design, long length, and multiple loops fits most users. We refer patients to order from Amazon.com rather than mail order catalogs because of the price difference and shipping costs. I eventually ended up getting one to use instead of a yoga strap (or previous dog leash recommendation).

It's a nice simple stretching tool, but I realized after a few uses that I could do most of the exercises as well or better without it. The booklet that comes with it is a nice overall stretching guide and has some good tips on stretching. I'd say that's actually the most valuable part. However, a lot of the exercises I found I could do just as well with my hands or with a wall. Like for the hamstrings, I found lying next to a corner wall and putting my leg up against it was a far better hamstring stretch than pulling on it with the strap. And for the quads, just reaching and pulling them with my hands was easy. I guess if you can't reach your foot at all then this would be useful. Considering most books on stretching will be about the same price as this strap and book it's still a pretty good deal if you are unflexible and just getting started.

I'm going through physical therapy right now for a pulled quad and adductor and this is what they use at the facility I go to. I absolutely LOVE this because it is so much easier than using a towel/band, and because of the different "notches" that you can grip/use. I highly recommend this as a "must-have" to anyone who is active or likes to stretch. I never liked to stretch (although it has always been recommended), whether it was before or after exercise which is probably why my muscles get so tight and make me more prone to injury. This product made me a convert after feeling tremendously better during my therapy, so I will continue to use it as part of my daily recovery and workout routine. I also recommend the Pro-Tec Roller Massager for loosening tight muscles - it is fantastic!

After knee surgery, three exercises absolutely required this type band. For those of us with arthritis, the built-in hand straps are indispensable! The strap I bought at a sports store had only a buckle at one end which kept releasing under tension. But most importantly, it was really painful to grip.

Of course there is a caveat. You have to actually use it :-)