How To Stretch Before a Run—Properly

Many runners know that they should stretch, but that doesn’t mean they do. And even if they take the time to loosen up their muscles, they may not be doing the right stretches—or performing them properly.

It doesn’t help that the thinking on stretching—whether it’s best to do it before or after a run, for example—has changed over time. Guidance on the type of stretching has also evolved, with a shift toward dynamic movements instead of the static bend-and-touch-your-toe type of stretch. But many runners are creatures of habit and may still be doing the same stretches they picked up decades ago on the track team.

The good news is that it’s never too late to start stretching—or to start doing it correctly. And now is an especially good time to brush up on technique as the pandemic has ushered in a running renaissance. 

We caught up with Elizabeth Gardner, MD, a Yale Medicine orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon, to get the latest on stretching.    

Before asking muscles to suddenly increase their activity, such as going for a run, it’s important to give them preparation time. When seated, many of our muscles contract or shorten because of the position. But during running, these muscles are stretched. If the shift from sitting to running is done too quickly, there is risk for injury—a pre-stretched muscle can handle and resist stress better than an unstretched one. 

But stretching will only help if you do it properly. [See below.]

Yes. Some sort of stretching is very important prior to running or any exercise for both injury prevention, as well as to improve the quality of your workout. However, the generic term “stretching” includes different types of exercises. Ideally, your pre-run warmup should include some dynamic activity that replicates the motions of your workout. This allows the muscles to be slowly stretched in a controlled manner. These can be done either before you start your run, or after five to 10 minutes of a gentle jog. 

Static stretching is what you likely remember from gym class. It is reaching down to touch your toes, or stretching your arm across your body to stretch your shoulder. Typically, these stretches are held at the point of mild discomfort for at least 30 seconds.

We’ve learned that a static stretch, when done before any activity, does not have the desired effect. This means that you aren’t preventing injuries, and in fact, there is some evidence that it can actually negatively affect workouts.  

Dynamic stretching, on the other hand, involves performing gentle repetitive motions in a way that gradually increases motion, circulation, and muscle length. Arm swings that start small and gradually increase to become bigger (but always remain within the normal range of motion) are a good example. When these replicate the activity that you are about to perform, such as running, they allow the muscles to stretch and the blood flow to those areas to be optimized.

Maintaining symmetry in the movement and strength of the body is key to avoiding both overuse and acute injuries. It is important that both sides of the body move the same way to allow for an even and consistent movement pattern, such as a running gait or weight-lifting motion.

Ideally, yes. During exercise, the heart rate rises to deliver oxygen to the muscles. Stretching allows the heart rate to gradually decrease and return to normal. After a vigorous run, muscles will also be full of lactic acid. Stretching helps the blood flow to the muscles to remove the lactic acid, which improves recovery. Finally, stretching after a run helps to relax any muscles that may have gotten tight from exertion, and this can help to prevent pain and stiffness later.