Whether or not you should stretch before running is a long-standing debate among runners. Some runners swear that it helps them run better and prevent injuries, while others say it's better to stretch after running, when their muscles are warmed-up.
Some new research gives more ammunition to those in the "no stretching before running" camp. Pre-run stretching does nothing to decrease the likelihood of injuries, according to a new report presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' annual meeting by researchers from George Washington University and the USA Track and Field Association (USATF).
Researchers recruited 2,729 volunteers who regularly ran at least 10 miles per week. Half of them stretched their quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles before running, while the other half ran without stretching first.
Over a three-month period, there was no statistically significant difference in injury risk between the pre-run stretching and non-stretching groups. Stretching neither prevented or induced injury when compared to not stretching before running. The likelihood of injuries was found to be greater among runners with a higher body mass index (BMI), those who had recent or chronic injuries, older runners, and those who ran more miles weekly. The most common type of injuries reported were feet, ankle, and knee injuries.
Interestingly, runners who switched their normal pre-run routines were more likely to become injured than those randomized to the group that continued their normal routine. Those who did not routinely stretch who began stretching increased their chance of injury by 22 percent, while runners who stopped stretching were 40 percent more likely to get injured.
The bottom line? If you currently stretch before running, keep stretching or slowly phase out your pre-run stretching routine. But if you don't stretch before running, you don't need to start -- stick to stretching post-run.
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Source: Daniel Pereles, MD, "The impact of a pre-run stretch on the risk of injury in runners" 2011 Annual Meeting Paper Presentations, AAOS, Feb. 18, 2011.
