Stretching is often the most overlooked part of physical health. It is easy to skip, hard to prioritize and usually the first thing dropped when time runs short. Yet flexibility, mobility and range of motion play a critical role in how the body feels and functions day to day.

The focus on range of motion and controlled movement is central to the work done at Stretch Zone in The Villages, where sessions are guided by trained practitioners who move clients through a series of stretches while monitoring resistance and response.

At just 30 years old, Ben Kleinman, Multi-Unit Stretch Zone Franchisee and says he became a true believer because of a personal story. 

“I used to be a volunteer firefighter in Philadelphia and suffered back and neck injuries at a young age,” he says.  “That left me unable to move or work comfortably and when chiropractic care wasn’t enough, I decided that stretching could be a supplement to my other therapies.”

Ben’s father was a Stretch Zone client, and recommended the practice. Within two assisted stretching sessions, he noticed a difference.

“When you adjust bones with chiropractic, the muscles still have to respond,” Ben says. “That’s what changed things for me.”

Stretch Zone serves a wide range of clients, from the general population to professional athletes. People often feel results quickly and know early on whether it works for their bodies.

“Practitioner-assisted stretching is better than stretching on your own,” says Nick Pumroy, General Manager at Stretch Zone Pinellas Plaza. “It targets specific areas and ensures you’re getting the range of motion your body actually needs, especially when you are at rest.” 

According to experts, stretching is often the most overlooked part of physical health. Tight muscles can contribute to pain, insomnia and injury, particularly when people leave it out of their exercise routine.

“This is also a great way to improve joint health and flexibility,” Nick says.

Tight hamstrings, he explains, can affect gait and shorten stride length, while healthy stretching supports smoother, more efficient movement. The brain also plays a role.

“As you stretch, your brain can lock a muscle as a defensive mechanism,” Nick says. “Listening to that response instead of pushing through it makes stretching more effective.”

Having a trained practitioner present helps clients understand when to stop, keeps them balanced and prevents over-stretching. Sessions are designed to avoid discomfort.

For 64-year-old Steve Irwin, the results were immediate enough to change his daily life. He drives from Celebration to Clermont for his sessions, drawn by the practitioners and the consistency of the results.

“There were times I couldn’t walk a mile,” Steve says. “Other times I couldn’t even get started.”

After trying the complimentary stretch and consultation, and following the encouragement of his friend Douglas, Steve committed to three sessions a week.

“I’m up to five miles a day now,” he says. “I’m not sore. My back hasn’t bothered me. It was almost immediate.”

A longtime trucking company owner, Steve says years of stress and a sedentary routine left little room for self-care.

“I don’t put a dollar figure on it,” he says. “I come once a week now, and it’s unreal what it’s done for me. It changed how I look at my life.”

Married for 31 years, Steve says his wife is happy he found stretching. His father lived to 91, and Steve says the experience has shifted how he views his own future.

“I would’ve been lucky to make it to 70,” he says. “Now, I may have another 30 years.”

Photos by Gina Horan