Do Runners Really Need To Stretch? The Evidence Might Surprise ...

Do Runners Really Need To Stretch? The Evidence Might Surprise You!
From a young age, we’re taught that stretching is an important part of a fitness routine. Because of this, we come to think that stretching is necessary for preventing injuries and performing well in sport. However, what we don’t realize is that this importance we place on stretching is actually based more on assumption than science.
Over the last 20 years, many sports and medical studies have questioned the effects of stretching. What they’ve found is that surprisingly, stretching doesn’t actually benefit athletes as much as we once thought. In fact, in some instances, it has been even shown to hinder performance.
However, while stretching is not as vital as we thought, there may still be some good reasons to include stretching in your weekly routine. In this article, I’m going to share what we know about stretching from the research, as well as give you some tips from my experience as a Physiotherapist on when and how you should stretch to get the most benefit.
Acute vs. Chronic stretching
Before we dive into all the known effects of stretching, it’s important to note that researchers split stretching into two distinct categories – acute and chronic. Acute stretching is classified as stretching that’s done immediately before or after other exercises, for example, as part of a warm-up or cool down. Chronic stretching, on the other hand, is stretching that’s done independent of other exercise and by following a regular, structured program where the sole purpose is increasing flexibility.
This distinction is important because the way you stretch results in very different outcomes.
Most significantly, research shows that it is only chronic stretching that improves flexibility over time. Therefore, if your goal is to develop better range of movement, we know that you need to do regular stretching in addition to other exercise, not just as part of your warm-up routine.
Do Runners Need to Be Flexible?
Does being limber make you a better runner and does it help prevent injuries? While most people will assume that flexibility is a good thing, research actually shows the opposite.
This study7, which looked at 100 recreational runners found that runners with the worst flexibility actually run with the most efficiency. The researchers from this study hypothesized that this is because stiffness creates stability around joints, and this, in turn, allows runners to naturally run smoother. On the other hand, runners who are hyper-flexible, tend to have a lot of extra movement in their joints which means they have to work much harder to control their movement and run smoothly.
The findings of this study contradict our conventional wisdom on the benefits of flexibility and the overall importance of stretching for runners. And there are two key takeaways from this research: one, that better flexibility does not correlate with better running form. And two, that stability is the most important factor. So whether you are naturally flexible or inflexible, you should focus more on improving your stability and control, rather than your flexibility.
Does Stretching Prevent Injuries?
Another common assumption is that stretching prevents injuries. However, researchers have not found this to be true either. For example, this study11 from the Netherlands looked at the effect of stretching on injury over a 10-week program and reported that stretching had no impact on the prevalence of overuse injuries.
However, while research hasn’t proven stretching to help injuries, anecdotally, runners do report that stretching helps relieve pain and discomfort. And because of this, many health professionals still recommend runners do regular stretching in addition to stability and strength training. Especially, if it is something that the runner finds beneficial.
When Should Runners Stretch?
If you’re going to add stretching to your routine, the best time to stretch is after an intense workout (such as a long run), or on your days off.
Do not stretch immediately before running. If you are feeling stiff and uncomfortable, stretch before warming up, at least 15 minutes prior to running.
What Stretches Should Runners Do?
Unfortunately, there are no magic stretches, plus as I’ve covered in this article, there is no good science to suggest that any stretch will fix your problems. In my experience as a runner, and my work as a Physiotherapist, I find that doing a regular variety of stretches is best. However, for runners who suffer from a particularly tight or sore area, focus on stretching around that body part.
As a final note I want to emphasize that while research hasn’t shown stretching to be particularly useful for runners, research does consistently show that strength and stability training is. So, if you are currently only stretching as a means to manage pain and injuries, you should consider supplementing that with plenty of strength training in order to get better results.
ABOUT ALINA KENNEDY
Alina is an Australian Physiotherapist, Strength & Conditioning Specialist and avid runner. She works exclusively with runners in injury rehabilitation, prevention and performance improvement. Learn More Here