ALL ABOUT THE STRETCH
One of the most overlooked components of running is the importance of stretches. This is not only beneficial as it improves the overall range of movement of a joint, but it also goes a long way in preventing injuries and reduces the rate of degeneration and compensations within other joints. These are a few safe stretches that benefit runners in particular.
STRETCH 1
This stretch is designed to improve the range of motion of the hamstrings and neural structures of the sciatic nerve.
WHAT TO DO
✔ Sit up as straight as you can on the floor, using your arms as support and your legs straight in front of you.
✔ Place your one foot on top of your other, making sure that your toes are flexed and pointing up to the ceiling.
✔ If that still does not feel like a stretch, gently bend forward with your body. Keep your back straight and your chin tucked in.
LOOK OUT FOR
✔ Be careful not to hunch your shoulders forward or poke your head forward.
✔ Make sure that your knees are straight and that your feet are pointing upwards.
STRETCH 2
This improves the range of motion of your hip flexors and quadriceps.
WHAT TO DO
✔ Kneel into a lunge position, with one foot in front of the other far enough so that if you were to lean forward, your knee would still be behind your toes.
✔ Pull your navel in toward your spine and tuck your pelvis in so as to prevent your back from arching.
✔ Keep your shoulders back and lean forward until you feel the stretch.
LOOK OUT FOR
✔ Do not lean forward with your arms onto your leg.
✔ Concentrate on making sure that your hip bones always point forward and never rotate, as this changes the group of muscles you are stretching.
✔ Do not arch your lower back.
STRETCH 3
This stretch is designed to improve the range of motion of your Achilles tendon and calf muscles. It is important to stretch both as the calf muscles insert onto the heel bone via the Achilles tendon and are effectively one unit that really works hard during running. When this area is tight, you tend to pronate your foot (roll your foot in) more, causing many injuries, some of which include shin splints and the infamous ITB tendon inflammation known mostly by runners.
WHAT TO DO
✔ Find the edge of a street curb or step and place your toes on the edge, pushing your heel down.
✔ Place your weight on the leg of the toes that are against the curb, keeping your knee straight. Hold for 15 seconds.
✔ Pull your navel in toward your spine and tuck your pelvis in so as to prevent your back from arching.
✔ Keep your shoulders back and lean forward until you feel the stretch.
✔ Then bend the knee of the leg you are stretching and the stretch will move downward to your Achilles tendon area.
LOOK OUT FOR
✔ Do not lean sticking your bottom out, keep your body as straight up as possible.
✔ The higher you place your toes up on the step or curb, the more stretch you will experience throughout your leg.
✔ This stretch is easy to overdo so be wise and only push to the point where you start feeling it.
STRETCH 4
This stretch is designed to improve the range of motion of your outer thigh and buttock muscles. It may also help with the prevention of sciatic nerve pain and lower back pain.
WHAT TO DO
✔ Lie down on the floor on your back with your knees bent.
✔ Cross one leg over the other like a man would cross his legs.
✔ Twist in the direction that the crossed leg is pointing to until that foot touches the ground.
✔ Stretch the arm of the same side out perpendicular to your body with your palm facing up.
✔ Keep both of your shoulders flat down on the ground.
✔ If this is not enough stretch for you, gently grab your knee with the opposite hand and pull it down toward the ground.
LOOK OUT FOR
✔ Do not lift your shoulder off the ground. ✔ Make sure you keep your legs crossed at your ankle and not at your knee as you twist your body.
STRETCH 5
This improves the range of motion of your ITB. The ITB is a tendon band that stretches from the outside of your hip and down your leg, and inserts onto the shin part of your knee. It is one of the most common injuries that occur in runners and becomes quite tight once someone starts running regularly. Keeping this area flexible goes a long way to preventing that injury from occurring, so this is an important stretch to get right.
WHAT TO DO
✔ Stand sideways alongside a wall. If your left side is nearest the wall, cross your right ankle over your left. Stand on both feet.
✔ Push your hip away from the wall in a C curve formation, bringing your right arm over your head to touch the wall. Lift the big toe of your right foot off the ground.
✔ Hold for 15 seconds.