Stretching has many health benefits that most of us are already aware of. A stretching program can help with flexibility, improve blood flow, assist in cooling down after a workout, reduce injury risk and even benefit our mental health. Many runners know this but fail to integrate stretching into their lifestyle. But, as runners, do we need to stretch? The answer is a bit tricky.
Understanding Running Form
Our running form is a product of how our bodies move. Consider this: if you sprain an ankle mid-run, your running form will change to protect that ankle. You might adjust by putting more weight on the opposite leg or shortening your steps because the injured ankle can’t push off as effectively. Your body is signaling to your brain, “I am injured,” and adapting to minimize resistance.
Similarly, your running form is a unique pattern your brain has developed over time based on your strength, stability, power and mobility. This is why running form varies so much from person to person, making the question, “Should runners stretch?” difficult to answer.
The Impact of Modern Lifestyles on Running
In our society, the average person sits for about 10 hours a day. The posture we use while sitting is the opposite of what we need when running. When sitting, our trunk is flexed forward, and our hips, knees, and ankles are bent, putting all the muscles attached in a shortened position. This is worsened when hunching over a computer or looking down at a cell phone.
In contrast, running requires different joints like the trunk, hip, knee, and ankle to move through a wide range of motion. We need to stand tall, look up, and fully extend our swinging leg backward before pushing off to propel ourselves forward. Our body, while running, stores energy much like a rubber band being pulled back and released. If we can’t achieve this range of motion, our body will create compensation patterns, which could result in injury or asymmetries in running gait.
Current research supports that having enough mobility to run is crucial, but more mobility isn’t necessarily better. So, how do you know if you have enough range of motion?
Identifying Movement Restrictions
Movement restrictions can be complex. Let’s say someone visits me, a physical therapist, for calf pain. After an examination, I find they can’t properly dorsiflex their ankle (a term for bending the ankle upwards). This could be due to a stiff ankle joint, inflexible calf muscles and Achilles tendon, or an area in the calf where the tissue isn’t gliding properly. It could even be a combination of these issues. Teasing out these deficits often requires the skilled help of a professional.
However, most of us can identify stiffness based on how we feel during daily movements. For example, if you experience stiffness when getting out of bed, tightness going down stairs, or difficulty achieving a full squat, you could likely benefit from a structured stretching program targeting major muscle groups like the hamstrings, quadriceps, gluteals, adductors and calves.
The Science Behind Stretching
If I bend down and try to touch my toes ten times in a row, I might notice that I get a little further each time, maybe even touching the floor eventually. Does this mean my hamstrings are getting longer? The answer is no; my tolerance to the stretch is just improving.
Research suggests that significant improvements in tissue length occur when a stretch is held for 3-5 minutes, 4-6 days a week, for 10-12 weeks. That’s a long time! Focusing on the major muscle groups mentioned earlier, holding stretches for 3 rounds of 60 seconds, and doing this a few times a week is the key to truly gaining muscle flexibility. This 2021 study concludes that stretching pre-workout can actually improve running economy and reduce the perception of effort in endurance runners.
This type of stretching is called static stretching, and it’s best done after a run or workout when your body is warmed up. This is because muscle lengthening actually involves pulling apart muscle fibers and causing microdamage (which sounds scary but isn’t). Research suggests that doing this before a run or on cold muscles can do more harm than good.
But stretching before runs isn’t a bad thing! Dynamic stretching, which involves short, quick bursts of light movements and stretches, is a more optimal way to stretch prior to running. It helps improve your body’s perception of tightness, wakes up the nervous system, improves blood flow, and prepares your brain for the effort of running.
Conclusion: To Stretch or Not To Stretch
So, should runners stretch? Unfortunately, the answer is, “It depends.” Do you have the mobility to get your leg behind you properly? If not, you will benefit from a structured static stretching program. While stretching may not be necessary for running, it certainly has other benefits that make it worth incorporating into your weekly routine. I would argue that dynamic stretching is great for everyone before a run. However, stretching alone won’t solve everything; it’s important to be aware of all aspects of running, including strength, power, stability and mobility. As I mentioned earlier, our running form and efficiency are a direct product of all these factors.
Helpful Resources:
- Ankle Mobility Screen: Watch Here
- Hip Flexibility Screen: Watch Here
- Static Stretch Routine: Watch Here
- Dynamic Stretch Routine: Watch Here
TRR Coach Kristen Junker is a St. Louis based running coach and physical therapist. She specializes in any distance from 800 meters to a full marathon on the road. Kristen also offers video gait analysis, where she’ll review a runner’s gait and review everything on a 30-60 minute follow up call, including exercises tailored to any deficiencies she sees.