Stretching, used by professional and amateur sports athletes to prevent injury and maximize performance, is increasingly being adopted as a best practice by the industrial athlete. For several years, Goodyear plants in Americana and Sao Paulo, Brazil and Upper Hutt, New Zealand have offered job-specific stretching programs developed by physical therapists. The programs have been well received by associates. In 2005, these efforts were expanded at Goodyear's tire manufacturing plant in Union City, Tenn., with a symptom survey and job specific stretching exercises, and in its retail operations.

In Goodyear's corporate headquarters, the Global Medical Services Department organized small office stretching groups, changing exercise routines quarterly. For computer users, software that guides the user through brief stretches at their desk several times a day is available through the Global Medical Services web site. International travelers are offered a small book of specific stretches for travel. All these activities are being shared through an electronic team room to assist associates in identifying and using best practices.