Pre and post running essentials

Are you a runner?  Are you considering running as a new form of exercise?  If the answer to any of these questions is even “maybe,” this short blog is for you.  Let’s talk.

The take home message for today’s blog is: MOVE BEFORE a run, STRETCH AFTER a run.

Pre running tips: Before a run, it is important to, quite literally, warm up the body.  Warming up prevents injury via increasing blood flow, muscle and joint mobility, and proprioceptive awareness.  Here are 4 pre running essentials:

• Frankenstein Walk: See our video (Pre and Post Running Essentials) at 1:03

• Walking quad stretch: See our video (Pre and Post Running Essentials) at 1:50

• Active hip rotation: See our video (Pre and Post Running Essentials) at 2:40

• Single leg balance (with a twist): See our video (Pre and Post Running Essentials) at 3:27

Post running tips:  At the end of your run, make sure to do a little walking to help cool down.  You don’t want to abruptly stop running and hit the couch.  Rather, try to walk for 5-10 minutes after a run in order to progressively cool down the muscles and prevent injury.  After your run, it is important to statically stretch your muscles as well:

• Hamstring stretch: See our video (Three Common Exercises You Might Be Doing Wrong) at 0:28 seconds

• Runner’s stretch: See our video (Tendon of the Day: Achilles Tendon) at 1:35

In this video, we discuss the anatomy and function of achilles tendon, as well as a few tips to prevent injuring it.

Written by Kenneth Kells III, DPT