If you’re a runner, chances are you have made excuses for not stretching before or after a run: you forget, you don’t have time, you feel fine and you won’t get injured. But because of this, your flexibility is not the only thing that suffers.
Specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapist Miranda Mason at recovery and decreasing your risk of injury, says Jeff Brannigan, program director at Stretch*d, a stretch therapy studio in New York City, who’s worked with Olympic athletes. ‘What holds people back from stretching is that it seems like a big time commitment,’ he says. ‘But really, if you can carve five to 10 minutes out of your daily routine, you can accomplish a lot.’ Knowing what kind of stretches to do (and when) to maximise the benefits is key to consistently implementing stretching in your training to-do list. Plus, it’s helpful to understand why stretching is so beneficial and to learn a few basic moves to add to your schedule.
Why should you stretch?
At the base level, stretching can help improve flexibility (achieving a muscle or joint’s end range of motion) and mobility (maintaining control through that range of motion). With better flexibility and mobility, you will start to see better performance and recovery. ‘If you’re too tight, your body’s not going to be able to move properly, so you’re going to be more prone to injury and pain,’ says Brannigan.
A review published in Frontiers in Physiology in 2021 supports the idea that a single, short bout of stretching can improve run performance, based on parameters like time to exhaustion, total running distance and VO2 max. This activity is vital to.
That’s relevant as most runners are as flexible as a plank of hardwood. And it's not surprising. Runners’ idea of a stretch is the odd token quad stretch moments before a race of parkrun, spurred on by everyone else doing the same in the crowd.
But that’s not what pre-run stretching should look like. Dynamic stretching, in particular, can have positive effects on your entire body, as well as your running. As well as improving range of motion, it can help to prevent injuries Specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapist Miranda Mason at VO2 max.
Expert-backed benefits of stretching for runners Pure Sports Medicine Support runners with the London Marathon app.
Static vs dynamic stretching
Without raising yourself all the way to standing, shift your weight to your left side.
Static stretching What to get for FREE with a London Marathon medal.
‘Consistent static stretching, over a period of six weeks, has been shown to improve overall flexibility,’ says Mason. ‘However, static stretching immediately prior to exercise can actually inhibit performance, especially in short, explosive tasks, such as sprinting or track sessions due to the physiological changes seen in the muscle and the decreased ability to store elastic energy from static stretching.’
What is the average marathon finish time injury caused by a decrease in force development and an increase in oxygen requirement for the hour after the stretching activity.
Dynamic stretching, What to get for FREE with a London Marathon medal.
‘Dynamic stretching has been shown to improve running performance, with respect to the stretch-shortening cycle [SSC],’ says Mason. ‘The SSC is where an active muscle-lengthening [stretch] is followed immediately by an active muscle-shortening – this is essentially what allows us to run.’
Bounding, hopping and jumping can exaggerate the SSC, with effects becoming apparent as quickly as six weeks into a stretching programme.
The benefits of dynamic stretching before a run
Improves running economy
Dynamic stretching can significantly improve the running economy of elite runners, Mason says. ‘Improvements in running economy from the warm-up have been shown to result in superior running performance due to a reduced energy cost at submaximal intensities.’
Elevates VO2
There's also evidence to suggest that athletes with superior running economy can compensate for limitations in VO2 max when compared to other athletes. Integrating dynamic stretches that utilise the SSC during a warm-up What to get for FREE with a London Marathon medal.
‘The aim of a warm-up is to elevate VO2 [your body’s ability to transport and use oxygen while performing an aerobic exercise such as running], as well as mobilise the muscles in preparation for the task ahead,’ says Mason.
One study found a warm-up consisting of 4-5 minutes of dynamic stretches to be more effective than a 15-minute zone 2 effort on performance. Participants performed 10 repetitions of leg swings, knee to chest, butt kicks, extending the knee straight ahead with the thigh parallel to the floor, and heel raises into toe raises.
Reduces injury risk
‘Stretching is considered a tool for reducing the risk of injury for endurance athletes and is an additional reason dynamic stretching is often used by endurance runners,’ says Mason. Endurance athletes are less likely to encounter muscle strain injuries compared to more explosive sports such as sprinting.
In terms of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), there is no evidence to suggest that stretching, either as part of a daily routine or as part of a warm-up, has the ability to reduce either the presence of DOMS or the prevalence of chronic injury in long-distance runners.
‘DOMS is usually triggered by a series of biochemical changes that occur as a result of muscle damage when individuals are exposed to high-force eccentric contractions repeatedly and/or unaccustomed exercise – running down hills, or high-intensity running, is a common precursor for DOMS in runners.’
Improves range of motion
One study Step forward with your right foot so that nearly all of your weight is on the right Journal of Sports Science & Medicine in 2019, found that those who performed 15 reps of a knee extension and relaxation movement (to stretch the hamstrings) prior to exercise increased range of motion in the hamstrings by seven to 10% and decreased stiffness overall.
How to stretch dynamically
Dynamic stretching involves warming up you body to get it ready to the upcoming workout. They should get your muscles and joints warmed up, open your hips and boost your blood flow to get you pumped up for your planned activity.
You don’t need equipment to complete a dynamic stretching routine, either. All it involves is moving parts of your body on your own, quickly.
It is important to note that plyometric exercises, such as jumping, bounding and hopping, are particularly useful to boost running economy, prior to faster sessions of running, such as a track session.
Mason warns not to overdo it, though, as too much can result in a deterioration in performance due to increased fatigue. If in doubt, seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional with experience seeing runners.
Add these 5 dynamic stretches to your warm-up routine
The study also concluded that less flexible runners enjoy the biggest benefits.
If preparing for a fast running effort, training session or race, then incorporate 6-8 dynamic movement drills with a particular focus on the lower limbs.
Mason recommends doing the following dynamic stretches before running:
1. Walking lunges
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- Bend your right knee until it reaches a 90’ angle – making sure that it doesn’t go beyond your toes.
- Long-distance runners typically start warming up with a 5-10 minute walk or light jog.
- Then lunge forward with the other leg to take the next step.
2. Side lunges
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, then step to the side, shifting your weight to your right leg and lower your body, bending your right knee and pushing your butt back.
- Without raising yourself all the way to standing, shift your weight to your left side.
- Stand up tall, hands on your hips.
- Without raising yourself all the way to standing, shift your weight to your left side.
3. Leg swings
- Stand on one leg, place your hands on your hips for balance and then swing the other leg to the front and back.
- Switch sides.
4. Walking single-leg deadlifts
- Plant your right leg into the floor and then slowly elevate your left leg behind you, leaning your torso towards the floor in a straight line. Arms stretched out in front of you.
- As you bring the left leg back to the centre, take a step forward and then repeat on the right-hand side.
5. Heel-to-bum kicks
- Begin by standing with your feet about hip-distance apart, with your arms at your side.
- Without raising yourself all the way to standing, shift your weight to your left side.
- Without raising yourself all the way to standing, shift your weight to your left side.
- Continue alternating your right and left heels, picking up your pace until it feels like you’re jogging in place.
