Place your aches and pains in good hands

Meghan Diemel

Contributor

March 23, 2026

DE PERE – Stretch Zone in De Pere celebrated its grand reopening late last month, inviting the community to experience its new practitioner-assisted stretching approach firsthand.

General Manager Autumn Armstrong said the local franchise – which first opened in 2022 at 1004 Main Ave. – took part in a nationwide initiative aimed at helping franchise locations reconnect with their communities while also highlighting new research published in the “Journal of Musculoskeletal Disorders and Treatment” on the health benefits of the company’s specialized stretching techniques.

“We took participants through a 30-day study, so now… we have statistics that can back up how they felt after those 30 days,” she said. “They did it just on the Stretch Zone method specifically, so no other franchise can use [the research].”

Armstrong said this data allows Stretch Zone to stand behind its claims that stretching helps people move better, reduces discomfort, improves sleep and increases energy.

“Now, we can say we are the only assisted-stretching franchise that has research and data to back up that stretching is beneficial to your life, so it’s super exciting,” she said. “We rebranded the studio, we redecorated and we got to reintroduce ourselves to the community people who might not have known about us before.” 

Armstrong said anyone who is seated in front of a computer for an eight-hour day, has spent too much time glued to their cellphone or has done yardwork after a winter of inactivity will likely attest to the benefit of muscle stretching.

However, she said there is much more value to be found in the practitioner-led experience offered at Stretch Zone.

Improving range of motion

When the franchise location first opened several years ago, Armstrong said it was in response to a clear need in the community.

Many people were dealing with tightness, pain and mobility issues – however, she said there wasn’t a dedicated practitioner-assisted stretching service in the area.

Armstrong said the goal was to bring something proactive and preventative to De Pere that could help people improve mobility and address discomfort before it becomes a bigger issue.

Utilizing a patented strapping system and proprietary method, Armstrong said Stretch Zone practitioners follow specific protocols to properly position, stabilize and manipulate muscles using the principles of neuromuscular behavior.

The company’s focus, she said, isn’t simply on making members more flexible.

Instead, Armstrong said Stretch Zone practitioners work to reeducate the nerve-muscle reflex, helping clients move more easily and improve their active range of motion.

And though many people stretch on their own before exercising or after waking up, she said practitioner-assisted stretching offers additional benefits that can help individuals achieve more effective and lasting results.

“When you’re stretching yourself, you’re limited by your own flexibility and positioning,” she said. “But with assisted stretching, your body can fully relax while the trained practitioner moves you through those specific ranges of motion safely and effectively. So, that allows us to isolate muscles more precisely and get a deeper, more controlled stretch than somebody can achieve alone.” 

Furthermore, Armstrong said practitioner-assisted stretching adds a component of accountability and consistency.

“Comparing it to personal training – [which] helps people get more out of their workouts – assisted stretching is similar,” she said. “It helps people get more out of their mobility work, and it has… that accountability piece [to] it.”

Memberships customized to individual health needs

Memberships at Stretch Zone De Pere, Armstrong said, work on a month-to-month basis and are offered in 30- or 60-minute visits.

Members, she said, can purchase sessions in increments each month, in 16-, 12-, eight-, four- and two-per-month packages.

Armstrong said they’re customizable, and members have the ability to change their frequency of visits.

She said she typically recommends a more intensive schedule during the first 12 weeks, in order to notice initial improvements in how they feel and move.

For new members, Armstrong said the first 30-minute stretch is free.

During that initial visit, Armstrong said she or a member of her staff guides each person through a questionnaire, waiver and review of their medical history and background to ensure it is safe for them to participate.

Practitioners, she said, then perform a customized stretch designed around the individual’s current needs and long-term goals.

After the initial visit, Armstrong said she meets with the member again to discuss how they felt during the stretch and whether they’ve noticed any changes since, including shifts in their pain level.

“I think the biggest thing about our service is that we want you to feel instant results, even after that first time here, that first half hour,” she said. “[Let’s say] your pain was at an eight [out of 10] when you came in. After that stretch, we already want it to be down a couple of points – for example, say it’s a five, so [you’re feeling] that instant result.”

Armstrong said staff will then discuss membership options with the individual, taking into account their current physical well-being and long-term goals. 

“We have multiple different [memberships] depending on where you’re at and what you need,” she said.

Armstrong said the franchise’s 30-minute sessions can be customized to focus specifically on either the lower body or upper body.

For members who choose a 60-minute session, she said practitioners are able to work on the whole body in greater depth.

Hour-long sessions, Armstrong said, are recommended for those looking to address full-body needs or who have both upper- and lower-body goals.

Stretch Zone practitioners, she said, will also change their approach depending on how a member might feel during any given appointment.

For example, Armstrong said a member may have one goal to improve mobility in their hips, but feel pain in their neck that day.

The stretch, she said, will then be customized to that need for that particular visit.

Armstrong said Stretch Zone isn’t just for people experiencing pain or discomfort – noting that it can help anyone maintain mobility, prevent injury and support overall physical wellness.

“I feel like everybody could be stretching,” she said. “I’m a big believer in preventative stretching, too. Most people wait until something hurts, but I encourage people to be proactive and [to also use stretching] to maintain their mobility, even after the discomfort improves. We don’t want to just see you when you have aches or pains.”

Improving quality of life 

According to stretchzone.com, working with an experienced practitioner at one of its studios can help individuals reestablish a more ideal resting muscle tone, helping relieve stiffness and soreness through active stretching techniques.

Strains and micro-stresses on muscles can lead to the development of scar tissue that can effectively “glue” muscles together.

As this occurs, the surrounding tissue tightens, which can limit a person’s range of motion and overall mobility.

According to the website, overworked and stressed muscles can also lead to residual tension in resting muscles, known as “tonus.”

And though a certain level of resting muscle tonus is necessary to maintain proper form and posture, Stretch Zone’s website states that excessive resting tonus can make it more difficult for a person to move comfortably and with ease. 

Armstrong said Stretch Zone practitioners use the company’s patented approach to isolate individual muscles within a muscle group, helping break up that “glue” and restore movement.

In doing so, she said members may experience improvements in posture and circulation, as well as increased range of motion. 

“The best thing about it, [is] it’s always hands-on,” she said. “It’s intentional. It’s designed to help you leave [feeling] better than when you walked in.”

Stretching to benefit a variety of needs

Though Stretch Zone has some celebrity recognition, with former NFL quarterback Drew Brees owning multiple franchise locations and serving as a brand ambassador, Armstrong said for most people the focus isn’t on athletic performance – it’s about improving overall quality of life. 

Armstrong said some of these improvements can include everyday tasks, such as sitting on the ground and standing up more easily, getting in and out of a car without discomfort, waking up without stiffness and feeling more energized throughout the day. 

“I truly believe that stretching is for everybody, and that it will impact those simple things that we’re doing in day-to-day life that we don’t realize are completely dragging us down right now,” she said.

Armstrong said the De Pere practitioners have training in anatomy and physiology and have all completed Stretch Zone’s accredited certification program to ensure they deliver stretches according to the company’s method.

“We do have that consistency across the board,” she said. “That way, no matter what location you’re going to, you know you’re going to be in good hands. We have 420 locations nationwide. When you sign up at one Stretch Zone, you actually can access all of them. They might be at different price points, [but] you can access all of them. No matter who you’re stretching with, you’re going to be in very good hands.”

Visit the previously mentioned website for more information.