Running Mania

http://www.runnersworld.com/stretching/ ... re-running

The above article is specifically about whether stretching before running is a good thing or a bad thing (the article seems to suggest that it's a bad - or maybe just "not good" - thing).

I wonder if this is a similar discussion to the one we had about whether post-run ice baths were a good thing or a bad thing for recovery and performance.

It seems to me that things that are meant to aid recovery or prevent injury are at odds with the things that aid our performance.

Hasn't stretching before running always been a bit of a question?

I think it's also a bit of a generalization to say that things that are meant to improve recovery and prevent injury also impede performance. Many standard recovery protocols, like refueling, resting, ample sleep, etc. are clearly beneficial for overall performance. Warming up muscles and joints by light activity and/or actual external warming can definitely aid your performance and help prevent injury (as can starting slowly, strides, etc.) Also treatments like massage, physio, and ART can be hugely beneficial for recovery and prevention of recurring injury and preventing scar tissue from adhering (which can lead to lingering injury).

It's just often people are looking for a quick fix or might do a recovery protocol the wrong way or for the wrong reasons-- and end up aggravating an already injured spot (like when I tried Graston on my injured ankle and ended up aggravating it more-- the tissue was acutely inflamed and strained, and the chiro was trying to loosen the "scar tissue"-- ended up just increasing the inflammation). Or worse, might have unintended physiological consequences (like ice baths which impede normal circulation and maybe recovery).

My achilles was severely traumatized by surgery. When I began rehab, it was directed towards mobility which meant stretching. But types of stretching was progressive with increasing difficulty as I gained flexibility. Now, I love the feeling of a good gastroc and/or soleus stretch. I do these twice a day. I also foam roll and stick my calf. I hope I never give these up.

Jwolf wrote:Hasn't stretching before running always been a bit of a question?

Then why do we still see scores of runners from the RR doing group stretches before their run?

Jwolf wrote:I think it's also a bit of a generalization to say that things that are meant to improve recovery and prevent injury also impede performance. Many standard recovery protocols, like refueling, resting, ample sleep, etc. are clearly beneficial for overall performance. Warming up muscles and joints by light activity and/or actual external warming can definitely aid your performance and help prevent injury (as can starting slowly, strides, etc.) Also treatments like massage, physio, and ART can be hugely beneficial for recovery and prevention of recurring injury and preventing scar tissue from adhering (which can lead to lingering injury).

Yes, I was generalizing.

For those of us who are recreational athletes, preventing injury and aiding recovery (so that we can go about our daily non-professional-runner lives) are important components of improving our performance.

La wrote:

Jwolf wrote:Hasn't stretching before running always been a bit of a question?

Then why do we still see scores of runners from the RR doing group stretches before their run?

Are these the same people that talk about doing easy run to "flush lactic acid" out of sore muscles?

Are they doing static stretching on their own just standing outside the store, or some sort of dynamic stretching routine?

When I was in the clinics starting 10 years ago, we only did stretching after. In the Sun Run clinics they do some dynamic stretching before running but only after a short walking warmup. Static stretching cold muscles before running hasn't been recommended for a long time, but I suppose there are still people that do it.

They aren't stretching cold muscles. They run to the bottom of the street and then stretch.

I guess that's the difference then-- people tend to know that stretching cold muscles can be harmful, so they do a warmup, stop, and do static stretches. I have read before that those can be beneficial, but it looks more like that's at best a waste of time, at worst actually hurting your run. Even if you are actually warmed up.

La wrote:
The above article is specifically about whether stretching before running is a good thing or a bad thing (the article seems to suggest that it's a bad - or maybe just "not good" - thing).

It looks like the only thing they looked at was speed and perceived exertion in a time trial after static stretching. the "study" had nothing to say about injury rates or recovery or anything else. If I'm out for a little lunchtime run and don't care about either speed or perceived exertion, to the extent this study is even correct I don't really care.

As for me, when I was having hamstring issues a few years back I worked with a nice lady of questionable credentials to come up with a stretching strategy that solved my problems. My problems are now solved and my mind is now closed.

I've always read stretching cold muscles not a great idea. My chiropractor says better to warm up (say run for 10 minutes) then stop and stretch which seems to be a common piece of advice (based on above). I also only stretch when something's bugging me...I'm not a stretcher otherwise...purely because I'm lazy.

Based on the article the benefits would be personal "how you feel" and not affecting results which is interesting I thought.

I agree with the posts above. It's not really a good a idea to stretch when your muscles are "cold". Although I have also heard people recommend dynamic stretching before you run.

Here is a good article on it and how do perform them - http://www.runnersworld.com/stretching/ ... warming-up

Hope that helps.