The myths of stretching

It’s the age old dilemma… should we stretch before running or not? Do we believe the myths of stretching?

always

But is this true? Do we need to spend 5-10 minutes ‘warming up’ with long static holds prior to running to help to avoid injury? We break down the myths of stretching.

The idea is that we’ll help improve muscle length and flexibility, ultimately reducing our chance of getting injured; however there is no evidence to suggest that this is the case.

Therefore, static stretching can in fact have an undesirable effect on performance particularly that of endurance runners.

So, should we perform a warm-up prior to running?

immediately 

Unlike static stretching there is no evidence to suggest that dynamic exercises immediately performed prior to running have a negative effect on performance; in fact it might help us run faster! (Yamaguchi et al, 2015)

What dynamic mobility exercises should I include in my warm-up?

Walking lunges Walking leg swings Bum kicks reps each side

Do long-hold static stretches have a place?

Getting an improvement in muscle length does take time though, so it is important to be consistent with our exercises.

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Alternatively, you may find this article useful – 7 stretching myths you need to stop listening to. Caroline (Chartered Physiotherapist) - Physiofusion