Stretching, the myth. Static to Dynamic. But wait… hold on..
Ahh, the pre-run stretch. It’s practically ingrained in every runner’s psyche. But is this ritualistic routine based on sound science, or are we merely contorting ourselves in the name of injury prevention?
The myth has morphed…
The Myth
The myth is that stretching reduces your risk of muscle strains, pulled hamstrings, and other running woes. Though it has to be said that over recent recent years the myth has morphed. As now the common wisdom is that ‘passive’ static stretching is of no benefit, but instead, active (dynamic) stretching is the key to success.
The Reality
The science on stretching’s impact on injury prevention is surprisingly… murky.
While several studies have shown no significant link between static stretching and reduced injury risk, others suggest it might provide a small, temporary benefit (think minutes, not hours) for specific types of activity or when predisposed to specific injuries.
Surprisingly, this lack of clarity of evidence continues with active stretching. Whilst 95% of coaches believe a pre-run active stretch reduces injury, there is not much evidence to support this. This includes a review of nearly 10,000 runners over 12 major trials and a comprehensive meta-analysis between spanning a decade of relevant papers that concludes that there is currently no evidence that pre-exercise active or dynamic stretching reduces injury.
The Verdict
Given the almost ubiquitous belief by running coaches that active stretching reduces injury, many in their community say that the published studies must be poorly designed. Consequently, it could be said that the jury is still out on the truth as to whether active or static stretching before running prevents injuries.
However, stretching of either form does not appear to be inherently harmful, and if you enjoy it or find it mentally beneficial, feel free to include it in your pre-run routine.
Stay tuned for more myth-busting goodness every day, and remember, running knowledge is the best kind of holiday gift! So don’t forget to share.
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