I remembered why I rejoined this forum, and it's for the lovely support and advice you lot give.
After running a decent 10k on Friday everything felt really tight and painful, despite repeated stretching, and to be honest I've been avoiding running and even walking since. However I was feeling a bit better by yesterday, so after work I ran a new 5k route I found, which has some nice hills in it. It's along roads which is a bit annoying, but never mind!
I completed the run fine, which is good as I don't consider doing 5k should be a problem for me any more, but I was aware of niggles. I stretched as best I could by the side of the road before driving home for an hour, when I got back home I could hardly move. I'm not tooooo bad this morning, but I won't be running today, put it that way.
I'm just wondering what you folks do for an effective stretching regime. Do you stretch before and after, just after, or I've had it suggested by a friend that maybe run slowly for 5 mnutes to warm up, then stretch before continuing. What do you all think?
Thanks!
Neil
Written by
316neil
Graduate10
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Hi Neil, at the early stages of c25k, a 5 minute brisk walk is usually enough but as you lengthen your runs , you do benefit from stretching before and after.
I’ve shown links to the nhs recommendations
The important thing about stretching before a run is to do dynamic exercises, not stretching of cold muscles. A light 5 minute jog might also help.
I always do the exercises above after the run as it does reduce the aches the next day.
Also I try to do calf strengthening exercises on my rest days.
There’s a lot to do when you start this running lark, especially for oldies like me!😁
I cannot help but think that having to sit in a car for an hour after a run may have contributed to the seizing up later...despite quick stretches after. I tend to keep fairly mobile after a run - 10 min cool down walk then stretching...then pottering about a bit. Not always easy, I know, but perhaps try and avoid long car journey after if you can?
Where specifically is the tightness? It might be starting in one spot, but radiating out. I discovered that after seeing a physio about my lower back pain - he told me this was caused by mid back tightness.
If your calves are the tightest, I’d say work on strengthening them. Calf raises twice a day when brushing teeth (2 sets of 12); heel drops off a step immediately after a run is a damn fine stretch, and invest in a knobbly massage stick to unknot things twice a day. I had calf tightening issues last year, and strengthening them has worked a treat - I rarely suffer with tight calf muscles now. My hamstrings are another story though...😂
Going short and slow for the time being is wise. I am really getting into slow running now, just employing speed once a week on very short runs (3k). Don’t despair, this will resolve eventually, you just have to try different things to find what works for you.
Sorry Sadie-runs , totally forgot to respond to this yesterday, in fact I think I was just on a bit of a downer. I feel fitter than I ever have at the moment, but this blinkin' pain is stopping me from running. My physio's currently on holiday (how very dare he?!), and none of the stretches seem to be helping, even the back-related ones, which makes me think it might not be muscular, but I just don't know, I'm not an expert. I had a jolly good stretch last night, and actually my calf muscles were OK, maybe a little tight but that's to be expected as a response to pain in the area, but certainly not terrible. Same story with quads and everything else (hamstrings etc), so I'm a bit at a loss. The massage sticky thingy helps a little, but I really feel it's only temporarily dealing with the symptoms not the root cause.
Sorry to moan Sadie, I'm just frustrated, and find myself asking questions like "is running really for me?". I'd hoped to have completed my first HM by now, and I was well on my way to it as well. If I don't run, it has quite an effect on my mental health too, so I'm damned if I don't run, but also damned if I do. *sigh*... such is my life!
Sorry for the whinge... normal service will be resumed soon... probably!
Oh don't worry, you are entitled to a moan, these things are really frustrating. And never ask yourself if "running is really for you"! Of course it is for you. It has made you feel good both physically and emotionally. You just need to sort out your mechanics! I too am always keen to get to the root of the problem, rather than just treat the symptoms (it is my biggest source of frustration!) You should really raise this with your physio on your next visit, and if they don't have a plan, then see someone else.
In the meantime, there is no reason to stop running – just do shorter, slower runs, that will keep your "hand in" as it were, and keep you emotionally stabilised. But be sure to show down, and keep them short. And keep up the walking too. This is just a temporary hitch. Nothing more. You are in it for the long game, and when us runners are in it for the long game, it sometimes means having to dial back for a while until we get fixed.
Thank you Dexy5 , I was aware of the how-to-stretch-after-a-run link, but hadn't seem the "how to warm up" link before. That's really helpful, thank you
I have to confessI don’t always do these warm up ones but when I saw a running club’s c25k group preparing for parkrun graduation run, they did a warm up together including some of these. Thanks for asking the question, it’s a reminder to us all.
Dear Sadie-runs , how did I know you'd comment on this? 😘
Stretching is a tricky one isn't it? What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another etc. Unfortunately this time because I'd chosen to run at the end of the day, all I really had left to do was to drive home.
Based on what the physio said last time, I'm pretty sure my back is tight, It gets tight from sitting at my desk, and from sitting in the car, and I suspect from the way I sleep too, so I probably need to up the spiral stabilisation stuff because that seems to help my back, plus I have a specific exercise he gave me to do which really helps. And funny you should mention the knobbly massage stick roller thingy, I invested in one last week
I'll take on board everything you said though, and have a play around see what works. Maybe I should just hope for redundancy then I don't have to sit at a desk all day!!
Indeed! That's why you have to try out different things to see what works for you! Anything I say is a suggestion and not a directive, okay? I do so want to be able to help.
Hmmmm. (Another suggestion coming…!) My physio said mid-back tightness is so common in office workers, and can lead to all manner of aches and pains elsewhere. He suggested I roll my mid-back on a foam roller – a smooth one, not a knobbly one. I have been doing this for a while now and it is fantastic. It has really sorted my lower back. When I use it I get a satisfying gentle "crack"sound here and there along my spine (which is good, apparently!) This is the one I have been using:
Thanks for the recommendation on the roller Sadie, mine is coming today Your physio agrees with mine then, which is good. No matter what ache or pain I go in with, it always boils down to the thoracic spine for me!
The dynamic warm up exercises worked well for me once I added that to the warm up walk. That helped massively with feeling better after the run. I do a good round of stretches afterwards too and always have but the warm up seems to have made a difference.
I always stretch before a run and after a walk following a run. The day after a long run I've also got in the habit (following a run where I felt barely able to walk the next day) of doing a set of stretches morning and evening. It seems to help I don't usually feel stiff after 10k now (but I don't run as far and hard as you sometimes do) 😊.
Thanks Deb, I think I’m just going through a bad patch and need to rest a bit, but it sounds like you’re pretty much doing what I do, which gives me hope. It’s just... knowing what stretches to do... and my physio is on holiday lol!
I must admit I'm really bad for stretching! as in not really doing it. And I know I should to it. I just tend to do the same as C25k and walk at least 5 mins before and after. Sometimes i'll do some stretching when back home
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Back with another 5k and running to my running tracks
Running less than 5k seems like I'm slacking.....
A toughed-out 5k: An investment in my future
Running outside and being resented
