Stretching before running

NatashaAlexandra

I've recently started running as well as my other exercise for around 20 minutes a day.

I just run on the spot in my house due to wet weather at the moment, but I run at quite a fast steady pace - and my heart rate goes to 136 beats per minute (122-160) is recommended for me during exercise - so I know even though it's only 20 minutes I am burning calories. On MFP I tend to just click the 5.2mph option even though I think I am running faster than that - just so I don't be too generous with my calories.. anyway back to the point!

I end up finishing my running, and my legs are EXTREMELY SORE. Obviously I put this down to the fact I have just started running, so it's using different muscles and probably will take a while to get used to it, but they get so sore I don't think I would be able to do any other exercise for the day without hurting myself.

It is mostly the bottom of my legs which are sore and the muscles at the front of my shin - I was wondering if anyone had any really effective stretches that they do before they run? The stretches I do don't seem to do much and seem a waste of time!!

Frankie_

I've been having the same problem, so it'll be interesting to see what people say.

ArchyJill

I don't stretch before a run...and it is a rarity that I stretch after (insert collective gasp here). Your muscle soreness (IMHO) is most likely due to muscles getting a workout. Try doing some weight training on your cross training days.

laurenlei

sounds like shin splints. I got these when i started running again. Basically means your just not used to running.

Usually you just have to wait for them to heal on their own, but carry on in the mean time!

http://www.webmd.boots.com/fitness-exercise/shin-splints this might help!

anzura

Stretching is more important after running than before. I don't like to stretch cold muscles. Sometimes I might stretch a mile into my run, but not very often.

A foam roller is a MUST for any runner. I spend about 15 mins after my runs stretching and then rolling all parts of my legs on the roller.

MTA: I also wanted to add that in the beginning it's very common for the muscle in the front along the outside of the shin bone to be very sore. Massaging it with a rolling pin really feels good!

taraleola05

I've read in my Runner World book for Woman that it's better to warm up your muscles by walking swiftly rather than stretch cold muscles. You can stretch AFTER you warm up, which will help your muscles. For your shins hurting, I would suggest going to a place that specializes in running shoes and getting fitted for better shoes to help with your problems. There are certain types of shoes that give me shin splints and I tend to STAY AWAY from those brands!! I'd also hit up youtube or google for some stretches too, I just do all of the stretches that I learned while doing sports in high school. Good luck!

Tara Leola*~

codyyde

I would say try stretching before and after your run. Bending over and trying to touch your toes or trying to touch your toes sitting with your legs out is good if you're tight behind your knees. Also try doing pulses when you're stretching, it hurts less and you may end up stretching farther. Also hold stretches for more than 30 seconds or you might not be getting any benefits.

paigemang♥

Do not stretch before you run, do high knees and skips...or walk fast to warm up THEN stretch. You should not stretch cold muscles. AND stretch AFTER you run. :happy:

ambrosij

You wont have to take a day off, actually better if you dont. Are you saying you run in a stationary position for 20 minutes? Or is it on a treadmill? If it is in a stationary position I would record it as aerobics rather than a run, it is also not the greatest thing in the world for your joints, as your body mechanics are not the same as if you were running outside or on a treadmill. "Shin Splints" generally come when you start a new exercise regimine that includes alot running, especially running on extra hard surfaces, with poor foot wear, or improper form; all of which you very possibly could be experiencing due to stationary running. There are really no great stretches that are going to help you out, just time and more exercise. You can sit on your knees and then lay back, this stretches out the shins a bit. An older preseason trick I used to use (running in cleats causes some serious shin splints) is to buy dixie cups and fill them with water then freeze them. Then peel back the dixie cup and just rub down your shins with that ice. Going between ice and heat tends to help, as they are really just strained muscles below the knee.

rlawrimore

You must stretch before and more importantly after you run. The pain or soreness in your shins are the beginning of shin splints. I have had them several times before and it is really painful if not taking care of. What is happening to them is the thin membrane that attaches the muscle to the bone is seperating from your bone. The best way I have found to take care of this is to stretch the muscles before and after. Proper shoes are a must. If you have flat feet and pronate a lot, it is a more comomon thing to happen. Take care of it early. Do lots of calf and quad stretches.

shellbell1993

It sounds like shin splints to me. They are very common, and it could be your shoes (how the fit) or starting out to fast to soon. Not stretching properly before your run. OR a combo of all. Also running on the spot is tough, so kudo's to you!!

Google "stretching for shin splints" or go to www.sportsinjuryclinic.net .

I hope this helps.

Woodman725

Sounds like quite a debate here. I know we all probably "stretched" before gym class in grade school/high school, but you should NOT stretch cold muscles as mentioned before. If you feel you must, then don't do a stationary stretch, meaning don't lean to one side in a stationary pose to stretch. Just do a slow walk, high knees and such. Then do longer stationary stretches after. Sounds like it's been covered above. Just start out slower for longer before you run(longer warmup), that may help. Stretching after any exercise is a huge help to prevent soreness and tightness. Good luck and keep at it, most likely the shin splints will go away.

Larry1369

I just started running this year after not doing so for 20 years.
I did have pain like you in the beginning, and started to get pain enough to stop since I know my body is telling me to stop.
I looked online on running technique, and it led me to looking into minimalist shoes/barefoot running.
This brought me to read "Born to run" by Chris Mcdougall. I highly recommend it.
I now run in skele-toes (they say you can't run in them, but vibrams used to say the same until people used them to do so.)
It took some getting used to, but guess where my leg pain has gone?

If you aren't interested in that route, slow yourself down and get your body used to running.
Use a couch to 5k program. Just google c25k and pick one you like.
I know what you're thinking, I can run 20 minutes straight and am strong enough to do so by my cardiovascular strength.
Why should I start at the beginning? Your legs need to accustom themselves to the work.

ambrosij

Most have already touched on it, but any stretching you do prior to a workout should be active stretching, another words it should involve movement that works the muscle and gets your heart rate up, like lunges, high knees, but kickers, toe ups...ect. Static stretching does absolutely nothing. Post workout static stretching can be done to improve flexibility.

jeffrodgers1

Simply put... Warm up, Stretch, Run, Stretch. Don't stretch cold muscles as you are more likely to tear something. Do a 5 minute warm up to get the blood flowing. This can be a light jog, some jumping jacks etc. Once you are warmed up, then do some gentle stretching. Don't bounce during stretching either... make them slow easy stretches (30-40 seconds).

Make sure you stretch after running. This is when your muscles are most pliable. It is also when they will start to knot up (as they cool down). Stretching after a run, speeds up recovery significantly.

You may want to look into either a foam roller or a product called The STICK . Use these to roll the knots out of your muscles after a workout. I use the STICK and have great results from it (it hurts like heck when you use it, but will get the blood circulating thru the area and speed recovery)

Let's look at the underlying causes. How new are your shoes and are they properly fitted?

Poorly fitted shoes will actually increase your chances of injury. Go get properly fitted for some decent running shoes (Sorry ***mart brand will not do).

Shoes with over 300 miles on them have no cushioning or support left and should be disgarded (or at least relegated to working in the garden). They can cause issues as they are no longer supporting your foot or cushioning properly against impact.

A gait analysis will tell you if you have any mechanical issues in your running (pronation, suppination) that could be addressed by the right type of shoe (neutral, stability or motion control). My own gait analysis told me I have a tendency to pronate and also a hook in my upper body motion that has now been corrected.

Treat shin splints with an ice massage and ibuprofen if it is serious. Rest or backing off your workout would also be a good thing as you don't want shin splints to fester.

Hope I made sense with this? Feel Free to add me as a friend if you want to ask more details.

ambrosij

Interesting, the Army just dumped static stretching about 18 months ago, and actually replaced it with active stretching which includes warm up drills, and actually bouncing during stretching, its a gentle bounce....different schools of thought. Sports medicine experts never agree and then when they do they change everything six months later. The way you described below is how all of my workouts used to go when a skied professionally.

Simply put... Warm up, Stretch, Run, Stretch. Don't stretch cold muscles as you are more likely to tear something. Do a 5 minute warm up to get the blood flowing. This can be a light jog, some jumping jacks etc. Once you are warmed up, then do some gentle stretching. Don't bounce during stretching either... make them slow easy stretches (30-40 seconds).

Make sure you stretch after running. This is when your muscles are most pliable. It is also when they will start to knot up (as they cool down). Stretching after a run, speeds up recovery significantly.

You may want to look into either a foam roller or a product called The STICK . Use these to roll the knots out of your muscles after a workout. I use the STICK and have great results from it (it hurts like heck when you use it, but will get the blood circulating thru the area and speed recovery)

Let's look at the underlying causes. How new are your shoes and are they properly fitted?

Poorly fitted shoes will actually increase your chances of injury. Go get properly fitted for some decent running shoes (Sorry ***mart brand will not do).

Shoes with over 300 miles on them have no cushioning or support left and should be disgarded (or at least relegated to working in the garden). They can cause issues as they are no longer supporting your foot or cushioning properly against impact.

A gait analysis will tell you if you have any mechanical issues in your running (pronation, suppination) that could be addressed by the right type of shoe (neutral, stability or motion control). My own gait analysis told me I have a tendency to pronate and also a hook in my upper body motion that has now been corrected.

Treat shin splints with an ice massage and ibuprofen if it is serious. Rest or backing off your workout would also be a good thing as you don't want shin splints to fester.

Hope I made sense with this? Feel Free to add me as a friend if you want to ask more details.

jeffrodgers1

Interesting indeed... wonder if they is any correlation between the fact that an infantryman should be in better condition than a beginning athlete? at the very least I wonder about the reasoning behind it. I understand the logic behind not bouncing and would be interested in the rationale. I would tend to agree with you when you say that experts never agree.

My own experience (and what works for me and many others) is that the warm up is a requirement and to avoid the bouncing.

Hmmm... Curious....

Interesting, the Army just dumped static stretching about 18 months ago, and actually replaced it with active stretching which includes warm up drills, and actually bouncing during stretching, its a gentle bounce....different schools of thought. Sports medicine experts never agree and then when they do they change everything six months later. The way you described below is how all of my workouts used to go when a skied professionally.

Simply put... Warm up, Stretch, Run, Stretch. Don't stretch cold muscles as you are more likely to tear something. Do a 5 minute warm up to get the blood flowing. This can be a light jog, some jumping jacks etc. Once you are warmed up, then do some gentle stretching. Don't bounce during stretching either... make them slow easy stretches (30-40 seconds).

Make sure you stretch after running. This is when your muscles are most pliable. It is also when they will start to knot up (as they cool down). Stretching after a run, speeds up recovery significantly.

You may want to look into either a foam roller or a product called The STICK . Use these to roll the knots out of your muscles after a workout. I use the STICK and have great results from it (it hurts like heck when you use it, but will get the blood circulating thru the area and speed recovery)

Let's look at the underlying causes. How new are your shoes and are they properly fitted?

Poorly fitted shoes will actually increase your chances of injury. Go get properly fitted for some decent running shoes (Sorry ***mart brand will not do).

Shoes with over 300 miles on them have no cushioning or support left and should be disgarded (or at least relegated to working in the garden). They can cause issues as they are no longer supporting your foot or cushioning properly against impact.

A gait analysis will tell you if you have any mechanical issues in your running (pronation, suppination) that could be addressed by the right type of shoe (neutral, stability or motion control). My own gait analysis told me I have a tendency to pronate and also a hook in my upper body motion that has now been corrected.

Treat shin splints with an ice massage and ibuprofen if it is serious. Rest or backing off your workout would also be a good thing as you don't want shin splints to fester.

Hope I made sense with this? Feel Free to add me as a friend if you want to ask more details.

ambrosij

To be honest I never know why the Army does the things they do. Most Soldiers are not infantry man and believe it or not alot are in pretty crappy shape. I have new 18 yr old privates who ARE combat arms guys and they are not even getting here in shape enough to run 2 miles in under 16 minutes. Hell when I was their age I was running 2 miles in under 12, pretty sad when the out of shape 30 yr old (at least compared to the shape I used to be in) is out performing the 18 yr olds. Too much XBOX and Playstation I presume.

Interesting indeed... wonder if they is any correlation between the fact that an infantryman should be in better condition than a beginning athlete? at the very least I wonder about the reasoning behind it. I understand the logic behind not bouncing and would be interested in the rationale. I would tend to agree with you when you say that experts never agree.

My own experience (and what works for me and many others) is that the warm up is a requirement and to avoid the bouncing.

Hmmm... Curious....

Interesting, the Army just dumped static stretching about 18 months ago, and actually replaced it with active stretching which includes warm up drills, and actually bouncing during stretching, its a gentle bounce....different schools of thought. Sports medicine experts never agree and then when they do they change everything six months later. The way you described below is how all of my workouts used to go when a skied professionally.

Simply put... Warm up, Stretch, Run, Stretch. Don't stretch cold muscles as you are more likely to tear something. Do a 5 minute warm up to get the blood flowing. This can be a light jog, some jumping jacks etc. Once you are warmed up, then do some gentle stretching. Don't bounce during stretching either... make them slow easy stretches (30-40 seconds).

Make sure you stretch after running. This is when your muscles are most pliable. It is also when they will start to knot up (as they cool down). Stretching after a run, speeds up recovery significantly.

You may want to look into either a foam roller or a product called The STICK . Use these to roll the knots out of your muscles after a workout. I use the STICK and have great results from it (it hurts like heck when you use it, but will get the blood circulating thru the area and speed recovery)

Let's look at the underlying causes. How new are your shoes and are they properly fitted?

Poorly fitted shoes will actually increase your chances of injury. Go get properly fitted for some decent running shoes (Sorry ***mart brand will not do).

Shoes with over 300 miles on them have no cushioning or support left and should be disgarded (or at least relegated to working in the garden). They can cause issues as they are no longer supporting your foot or cushioning properly against impact.

A gait analysis will tell you if you have any mechanical issues in your running (pronation, suppination) that could be addressed by the right type of shoe (neutral, stability or motion control). My own gait analysis told me I have a tendency to pronate and also a hook in my upper body motion that has now been corrected.

Treat shin splints with an ice massage and ibuprofen if it is serious. Rest or backing off your workout would also be a good thing as you don't want shin splints to fester.

Hope I made sense with this? Feel Free to add me as a friend if you want to ask more details.

jeffrodgers1

I hear ya! Not that I can run 2 miles in 16 minutes... I top out at 18 minutes... but them I'm 40 and have had multiple leg injuries to boot. I think your bang on when you blame Xbox and Playstation. That and the idiot box and you have a generation of kids who don't know how to shoot hoops, throw a spiral or shoot a puck. Who knew?

To be honest I never know why the Army does the things they do. Most Soldiers are not infantry man and believe it or not alot are in pretty crappy shape. I have new 18 yr old privates who ARE combat arms guys and they are not even getting here in shape enough to run 2 miles in under 16 minutes. Hell when I was their age I was running 2 miles in under 12, pretty sad when the out of shape 30 yr old (at least compared to the shape I used to be in) is out performing the 18 yr olds. Too much XBOX and Playstation I presume.

Interesting indeed... wonder if they is any correlation between the fact that an infantryman should be in better condition than a beginning athlete? at the very least I wonder about the reasoning behind it. I understand the logic behind not bouncing and would be interested in the rationale. I would tend to agree with you when you say that experts never agree.

My own experience (and what works for me and many others) is that the warm up is a requirement and to avoid the bouncing.

Hmmm... Curious....

Interesting, the Army just dumped static stretching about 18 months ago, and actually replaced it with active stretching which includes warm up drills, and actually bouncing during stretching, its a gentle bounce....different schools of thought. Sports medicine experts never agree and then when they do they change everything six months later. The way you described below is how all of my workouts used to go when a skied professionally.

Simply put... Warm up, Stretch, Run, Stretch. Don't stretch cold muscles as you are more likely to tear something. Do a 5 minute warm up to get the blood flowing. This can be a light jog, some jumping jacks etc. Once you are warmed up, then do some gentle stretching. Don't bounce during stretching either... make them slow easy stretches (30-40 seconds).

Make sure you stretch after running. This is when your muscles are most pliable. It is also when they will start to knot up (as they cool down). Stretching after a run, speeds up recovery significantly.

You may want to look into either a foam roller or a product called The STICK . Use these to roll the knots out of your muscles after a workout. I use the STICK and have great results from it (it hurts like heck when you use it, but will get the blood circulating thru the area and speed recovery)

Let's look at the underlying causes. How new are your shoes and are they properly fitted?

Poorly fitted shoes will actually increase your chances of injury. Go get properly fitted for some decent running shoes (Sorry ***mart brand will not do).

Shoes with over 300 miles on them have no cushioning or support left and should be disgarded (or at least relegated to working in the garden). They can cause issues as they are no longer supporting your foot or cushioning properly against impact.

A gait analysis will tell you if you have any mechanical issues in your running (pronation, suppination) that could be addressed by the right type of shoe (neutral, stability or motion control). My own gait analysis told me I have a tendency to pronate and also a hook in my upper body motion that has now been corrected.

Treat shin splints with an ice massage and ibuprofen if it is serious. Rest or backing off your workout would also be a good thing as you don't want shin splints to fester.

Hope I made sense with this? Feel Free to add me as a friend if you want to ask more details.

lbetancourt

Yep. Foam Roller. http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-285--11556-0,00.html

NatashaAlexandra

All good but varied responses might I add haha!

I do run on the spot, but it is on a carpeted area and I wear Next trainers which were only £30 but at the moment I can't afford to invest in a really good pair of running shoes! I had them fitted though so they are fine for that, but obviously once I get money I'll need to get proper ones, I just didn't think I'd need to do so for only running 20 mins a day!

When I'm running though, I mostly alternate between butt-kicks and high-knees and I've started to do 1 minute slow, 1 minute really fast, followed by another slow minute and so on..

I'm getting quite worried about all this shin splits talk!!!