Should You Stretch Before or After Running? What Manchester Sports Therapists Actually Recommend

Do you really need to stretch before or after running?

The confusion around stretching and running has reached absurd levels. Walk through any Manchester park on a Sunday morning and you’ll see runners doing completely opposite things based on advice from coaches, YouTube videos, or what their running club swears by.

“Stretch before you run to prevent injury”. ” Is it better to stretch after you run?” . “You should do both, and hold for 60 seconds”.

Most of that advice is outdated, oversimplified, or based on myths that refuse to die despite decades of research showing otherwise. Research proves that the “stretch before running” advice your PE teacher drilled into you might actually harm your performance.

Sports therapists who work with Manchester’s running community see the consequences of this confusion daily. Runners showing up with injuries that proper stretching protocols could have prevented. Athletes whose performance plateaus because their pre-run routine is sabotaging their efforts. People stretching religiously but wondering why they’re still tight and injury-prone.

The science on stretching has evolved  over the past two decades. What we know now would surprise most runners.

The Myth That Won’t Die

Let’s start by busting the biggest myth in running. The one that’s been repeated so often it became the standard, despite never having solid scientific backing.

Myth: Static stretching before running prevents injuries.

For decades, runners have been told to stretch their hamstrings, quads, and calves before heading out for a run. They are taught to hold each stretch for 30-60 seconds to reduce your injury risk. Sports teams even built entire pre-game routines around this concept.

Then researchers actually tested it. Studies consistently found that static stretching before exercise does not reduce all-cause injuries or overuse injuries. In fact, research has found that using static stretches prior to a workout can decrease reaction time and performance, and increase risk of injury. Yes, increase injury risk.

When you hold a stretch for extended periods before exercise, you temporarily reduce the muscle’s ability to produce force. Research shows that static stretching performed for longer than 60 seconds per muscle group can cause substantial and practically relevant declines in strength and power performances, ranging from 4% to 7.5%.

For runners, this means your legs literally can’t push as hard during those first few miles. Your stride mechanics change, and you compensate without realizing it. That compensation is often where injuries start.

What Sports Therapists Actually See

Manchester sports therapists work with runners who’ve been following bad stretching advice for years. The patterns are remarkably consistent.

Runners who spend 10-15 minutes doing static stretches before every run often report feeling sluggish at the start. Their times are slower than they should be based on fitness. They describe feeling like they have to “run into” their workout before they can set things in motion. Some develop overuse injuries despite religiously following what they thought was proper injury prevention.

Meanwhile, runners who do no warm-up at all tend to struggle with muscle strains and acute injuries. They go from zero to running pace without any preparation, asking cold muscles to perform immediately at intensity.

The runners who perform best and stay fit are those who understand the difference between types of stretching, know when to use each, and have built routines that match what research actually supports.

Static vs Dynamic: Understanding the Difference

The confusion around stretching starts with not understanding that different types of stretching do completely different things to your body.

Static Stretching

This is what most people picture when they think of stretching. You move into a position that lengthens a muscle and holds it there. Sitting and reaching for your toes. Pulling your heel to your butt to stretch your quad. Standing and reaching your arms overhead.

Static stretches hold a pose for an extended time, typically 30 to 90 seconds. The goal is to increase range of motion and release muscle tension by lengthening muscle-tendon units.

Dynamic Stretching

This involves controlled movements through your full range of motion without holding the end position. Leg swings, walking lunges, high knees, and butt kicks. You’re actively moving while warming up your muscles.

Dynamic stretches focus on movement and are designed to prepare your body for activity by increasing blood flow, activating your nervous system, and rehearsing movement patterns you’ll use during running.

Research consistently shows these two types of stretching have very different effects on subsequent performance. Both static and dynamic stretching appear to help to improve the range of motion, but their impact on performance differs.

Dynamic stretching has been shown to either have no negative effect or may actually improve subsequent performance, especially with longer durations. Meanwhile, static stretching before exercise can temporarily reduce power output, speed, and strength if done excessively.

What You Should Do Before Running?

Based on current research and what sports therapists see working with Manchester runners, here’s what an effective pre-run warm-up actually looks like.

Start with Light Movement (5-10 minutes)

Begin with easy walking or very slow jogging. This raises your body temperature, increases blood flow to your muscles, and gradually transitions your cardiovascular system from rest to activity. Skip this at your peril. Cold muscles don’t respond well to sudden demands.

Add Dynamic Stretching (5-8 minutes)

Perform movement-based stretches that mimic running motion. Leg swings front to back and side to side. Walking lunges, high knees and butt kicks. These activate your muscles, improve range of motion, and rehearse the movement patterns you’re about to use.

Research shows that active warm-ups including dynamic stretching can enhance power and strength performance. Studies found that doing an active warm-up before engaging in sports yields improved performance by 79% across all criteria examined, and decreased injury risk by 35%, cutting severe injuries by almost half.

Include Short-Duration Static Stretches (Optional, 15-30 seconds max)

Recent research challenges the idea that you should never do static stretching before running. Short-duration static stretches of 15-30 seconds per muscle group, when included as part of a complete warm-up routine, show minimal negative effects and may help reduce muscle strain injuries.

The key is duration. Static stretching under 60 seconds per muscle group shows only trivial performance impairments of 1-2%. But stretch for longer than 60 seconds per muscle and performance declines become substantial at 4-7.5%.

Finish with Sport-Specific Movement (2-3 minutes)

End your warm-up with running-specific drills at gradually increasing intensity. Start with easy running and build to your planned workout pace. This final phase bridges the gap between warming up and running.

What You Should Do After Running?

After your run, you want to help your muscles recover, reduce post-workout stiffness, and maintain the flexibility needed for long-term joint health.

Immediate Cool-Down (5-10 minutes)

Don’t stop abruptly after a hard run. Gradually reduce your pace to easy jogging and then walking. This helps clear metabolic waste products from your muscles and allows your cardiovascular system to transition back toward rest.

Static Stretching (10-15 minutes)

This is where static stretching belongs. Research shows that static stretching after exercise can help prevent post-workout stiffness by helping put muscles back at their pre-exercise length. Hold stretches for 30-90 seconds, focusing on major muscle groups that worked hardest during your run.

Target your calves, hamstrings, quads, hip flexors, and glutes. Move slowly into each stretch and breathe normally. Post-run static stretching won’t dramatically reduce soreness, but it does help maintain flexibility and feels good when done correctly.

Light Movement and Recovery Work

After stretching, continue with light movement rather than sitting immediately. Walk around, do easy mobility work, or address any tight spots. For runners dealing with chronic tightness or recurring issues, this is when sports massage becomes particularly valuable.

Why Running Economy Matters More Than You Think

Most runners don’t consider their running economy when stretching. Your running economy simply describes how you efficiently use oxygen at a given pace, and how it affects your performance.

Both static and dynamic stretching can improve running economy. Studies found that running economy significantly improved after both static stretching and dynamic stretching compared to no stretching, with runners also reporting lower perceived exertion during subsequent running.

But this only applies when stretching is done as part of a proper warm-up protocol with appropriate recovery time before high-intensity running. The same stretching that improves economy when done correctly can harm performance when done wrong.

Do Runners Truly Need Maximum Flexibility Before Running?

No, you do not need maximum flexibility to run well and avoid injury. Sports therapists in Manchester regularly see runners obsessed with touching their toes or achieving splits-level hamstring flexibility.

Runners need adequate flexibility for their sport, not gymnast-level flexibility. Having some passive resistance in your muscles and tendons can improve running efficiency by helping store and return elastic energy during the running stride.

This is why elite distance runners often aren’t exceptionally flexible. They have the range of motion needed for running mechanics, but not beyond. Extra flexibility doesn’t improve running performance and might even reduce running economy.

The goal isn’t to attain maximum flexibility. Aim for functional flexibility that supports your running without creating excessive compliance in the muscle-tendon system.

The Role of Sports Massage in Flexibility

Regular stretching maintains day-to-day flexibility, but sports massage addresses deeper restrictions that stretching can’t fully resolve. Muscle tissue can develop adhesions, trigger points, and fascial restrictions from repeated stress and micro-trauma of training.

Sports massage works on these deeper tissue problems through sustained pressure and manipulation techniques that complement stretching. Many Manchester runners find that regular sports massage sessions help them maintain flexibility with less aggressive stretching routines.

The combination of appropriate stretching and periodic sports massage creates better results than either approach alone. Massage releases chronic restrictions while stretching maintains range of motion between sessions. Together they address both acute and chronic flexibility limitations.

For runners training at high volumes or dealing with persistent tightness, integrating sports massage into their routine often proves more effective than increasing stretching time. Therapists identify and treat problems that self-stretching misses.

Types of Stretching for Different Running Styles

Not all running is the same, and stretching protocols should reflect the specific demands of different running styles.

Long Distance Runners

Focus on maintaining hip flexor and calf flexibility, which tend to get tight from high mileage. Dynamic warm-ups don’t need to be extensive before easy runs, but they are important before tempo work or intervals. Post-run static stretching also helps manage the cumulative effects of high training volumes.

Sprinters and Track Athletes

Sprinters need more extensive warm-ups including progressive sprint drills. Dynamic stretching plays a larger role, while short static stretching may help with extreme range of motion demands in sprint mechanics.

Trail Runners

Dynamic warm-ups should include lateral movements and varied planes of motion that road running doesn’t emphasize. Flexibility requirements are higher due to variable stride patterns on technical trails.

Recreational Runners

They can follow simpler protocols focused on consistency rather than complexity. Five minutes of easy running plus basic dynamic stretches covers most needs. Post-run stretching becomes more important than elaborate pre-run routines for injury prevention and recovery.

6 Common Stretching Mistakes Manchester Runners Make

Sports therapists see the same stretching errors repeatedly among local runners. Understanding these helps you avoid falling into the same traps.

Mistake 1: Bouncing During Static Stretches

Bouncing at the end of your range of motion, can cause micro-tears in muscle tissue and trigger protective muscle contractions that work against the stretch. Move smoothly into stretches and hold the position without bouncing.

Mistake 2: Stretching Cold Muscles

Static stretching before any warm-up, when muscles are literally cold, increases injury risk without providing benefits. Always do some light movement before stretching to raise tissue temperature.

Mistake 3: Holding Stretches Too Long Before Running

That 90-second quad stretch before your tempo run is probably hurting your performance more than you can imagine. Keep pre-run static stretches under 30 seconds if you must include them at all.

Mistake 4: Skipping Warm-Ups Entirely

Going from standing still to running pace with no transition asks cold muscles to perform immediately. Warm-ups aren’t optional, they’re preparation for what you’re about to ask your body to do.

Mistake 5: Stretching Through Pain

Stretching should create tension, not pain. Pushing past discomfort into actual pain can cause tissue damage and won’t improve flexibility faster. Respect your body’s signals.

Mistake 6: Using One-Size-Fits-All Approaches

Your training partner’s stretching routine might not work for you. Age, injury history, flexibility levels, and training goals all influence what stretching protocol makes sense for your situation.

How to Build Your Personal Stretching Strategy?

Effective stretching isn’t about following rigid rules. It’s about understanding principles and adapting them to your needs. Here’s how to build a personal stretching strategy that works for you:

Assess Your Current Routine

Track what you’re doing now and how it affects your runs. Do you feel sluggish after extensive static stretching? Do certain areas always feel tight despite regular stretching? This information determines if you need to adjust.

Match Intensity to Training Demands

Easy recovery runs need minimal warm-up. Track workouts and tempo runs require more extensive preparation, while long runs require thorough warm-ups and post-run stretching.

Listen to Your Body

Some days you’ll need more warm-up time, others you’ll feel ready quickly. Environmental factors like temperature affect how much preparation you need. Stay flexible with your routine while maintaining the general framework.

Test and Adjust

Try different approaches during training runs before implementing them for races or hard workouts. Notice what makes you feel prepared versus sluggish. Adjust durations and select based on results.

Seek Professional Input When Stuck

If your stretching routine isn’t keeping you healthy or you can’t resolve persistent tightness, professional assessment can identify what you’re missing. Sometimes the issue isn’t your stretching protocol but factors like strength imbalances or biomechanical problems that stretching can’t address.

What is the Right Thing to Do Before A Race?

On the morning of your race, you’re likely managing nerves, logistics, and wanting to feel prepared without sabotaging your performance.

Sports therapists working with Manchester runners recommend keeping race-day routines similar to what you’ve practiced during training. This isn’t the time to experiment with new approaches.

Arrive early enough for a proper warm-up without feeling rushed. Start with 5-10 minutes of easy jogging. Progress to dynamic stretches you’ve rehearsed during training. If you’ve been including short static stretches successfully, maintain that pattern.

Avoid spending 20 minutes doing extensive static stretching right before the race starts. This temporarily reduces muscle force production just when you need maximum power available. Save longer static stretching for after you cross the finish line.

Some runners benefit from very light sports massage on race morning, focusing on areas prone to tightness. But this should be familiar work from your regular routine, not deep tissue treatment. The goal is feeling loose and ready, not treating problems.

Hekas is With You Every Step of the Run – Before and After.

The runners who stay healthy and perform consistently are those who treat stretching as part of a complete approach to running preparation and recovery. Not as insurance against all injury, or a magic performance enhancer. But as one component of intelligent training that supports your goals.

Book an assessment with our Manchester clinic if you’re struggling with recurring tightness, dealing with flexibility limitations, or want professional guidance on building stretching routines that match your running demands. We work with runners at every level who understand that the details of preparation often determine the quality of performance.

We can’t wait to have your first consultation!