Stretches for runners

Whether you’re a competitive runner or you enjoy going out for a light jog, it’s important to take care of your joints and muscles. Stretching is a great way to enhance your recovery and protect your body as much as possible.

Doing a range of stretches before and after exercise can improve your running performance and prevent stiffness after a long run. The types of stretches that you do before and after a run are different and it’s important not to mix them up.

Generally, dynamic stretching is recommended before any form of exercise. This type of stretching involves moving the muscles dynamically for 15-30 seconds to increase blood flow into the muscles, which helps to prepare your body for the upcoming training session.

After exercising, static stretching is recommended. This type of stretching involves holding your muscles in a stretched position for 30-60 seconds. Ideally, you should perform static stretches shortly after you have finished your run while your muscles are still warm.

Here are some great dynamic stretches to do before your runs:

• Arm swings - swing alternate arms or both arms at the same time around in large circles to warm up the shoulders
• Leg swings - stand on one leg and swing the other leg back and forth, getting as full a range of motion as possible to increase blood flow right down to the toes.
• Walking lunges - step forward and bend at both knees to lunge down to the ground. Do this with alternating legs for a total of 30-60 seconds.

After you have finished running, try the following stretches:

• Knee hug - lying on the floor, bring your knees to your chest and hold the position.
• Toe touch - start in a standing position and bend at the knees, keeping your legs straight. This will stretch your hamstrings.
• Standing quad stretch - in a standing position, bend one knee, and lift the leg behind you. Hold it with your hand and pull your foot into your buttock to stretch the quadriceps muscles. Repeat on the other side.
• Standing calf stretch - lean your hands against a wall with your arms straight out in front of you. Stagger your legs and lean forward to stretch your back calf. Repeat on the other side.