Although most runners have heard about the importance of stretching I am amazed at the number of people who either ignore this altogether, or pay it minimal attention. Yet it is well known that proper stretching, especially after your run, can really reduce the risk of injury. It also helps relax the muscles and prevent tightening so you will recover faster from your exercise.

Stretch Before Running?

First of all – never stretch cold muscles. If you do need to stretch before you run, make sure you warm up beforehand. A brisk 5 to 10 minute walk, or riding a stationary bike will do fine.

There are situations where light stretching before running is beneficial. If you have been sitting at a desk for a while stretching will help. Also if you are recovering from an injury like Achilles Tendonitis then moderate stretching before your run will help.

If you don’t stretch first, a warm up period of a few minutes is always a good idea.

Stretch After Running

You should always stretch after your runs for the reasons mentioned above. I recommend you watch the videos on this page, and learn about 10 different stretches. I like to vary my stretching routine so I am not always doing the same thing. If you have a muscle area that feels sore after the run you should lightly stretch that muscle group.

Basic Stretches

In this video Tim Borland discusses some stretching techniques and demonstrates some basic running stretches.

More Basic Stretches for Runners

	Calf Stretch: Lean forward against a support as shown and bend the forward leg. You should feel the stretch in your calf muscles.

	Full leg stretch: - this is a great stretch for the hamstrings and the muscles along the back of your legs.

	Quadriceps stretch: This is easier to do if you support yourself with one hand while you lift the leg to be stretched as shown in the photo.

Post Run Flexibility

This video illustrates a more advanced stretching sequence. This is really good for improving your flexibility.

The bottom line is that regular stretching can make a big difference to your running so try and make a habit of doing some running stretches after each workout.

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