There are many benefits to stretching, says Lara Evans, a physio of 22 years and a keen runner. “I currently do a lot of rehabilitation with runners who are injured. As an assistant coach, I teach the athletes I work with to do drills and dynamic stretches prior to a session or race and then static stretches after,” she says. “This can help improve blood flow to muscles, which in turn can help to get rid of byproducts of exercise, which may otherwise give you post-exercise muscle soreness.” Being more flexible can help your running performance and your function on a daily basis.
“Tight muscles, if suddenly called on for strenuous activity putting them in a stretched position, are at greater risk of injury,” warns Lara. “If tight muscles result in joint restriction or an imbalance of flexibility/strength, there is an increased risk of injury.” If you think that just because you’re inflexible, there’s no point stretching, you’re wrong.