The debate about stretching stretches on, and the latest news supports those who argued that, with runners at least, stretching doesn’t prevent injuries. The evidence comes from experts at Washington University, the U.S. Naval Academy and other schools, who analyzed responses from more than 1,400 runners who had been divided into two groups. HealthDay reports that one group stretched the quadriceps, hamstrings and calf muscles for three to five minutes before starting their run; the other group didn’t stretch. The researchers found no difference in the number of injuries between the two groups. They also found that non-stretchers who started stretching had a 22 percent increased chance of injury compared to non-stretchers who stuck with their routine, while stretchers who stopped stretching had a 40 percent higher chance of injury. Wait there’s more, but it’s totally unsurprising: People with a higher body mass index and those who had recent or chronic injuries were more likely to get injured, as were older runners and people who ran more miles a week. Injuries to the feet and ankles were most commonly reported, followed by knee injuries.
Health, fitness and lifestyle tips for people over 50 who still like to play hard
Saturday, May 31, 2025
Nothing really new here. I think it has been established that stretching before running is not beneficial. You should stretch afterward. Before a run, do some light joint mobility exercises and I bet those studies change their tunes.