Taken from another community where Iposted it there as it was suggested it would be a good thread on here
All,
Whilst I have been a member of the site for a while, it is only the last couple of weeks I have started to interact with the forum. Many thanks for those who respond with ideas, suggestions and just good ole motivational posts!
Whilst reading these posts, a couple of common themes seem to come up.
1) Lower Back pain(s)
2) Pain in the thigh/hip area.
3) Lower calf/ankle tightness.
Whilst I am no expert, (and if any one has these issues that do not seem to stop seek medical advice), the consensus on reading the replies are that these issues are often related to poor core strength and lack of stretching and agility in the leg muscles and tendons. Often links to stretching exercises etc have been posted. I have done a couple.
So I suggest that we have a post with various links to stretching exercises video clips and related information.
Here is a site devoted to stretching and related issues. stretching-exercises-guide.... (Thanks to who ever who pointed me to that site)
Your motivation for doing these exercises is your goal to be a stronger and more flexible runner. The easiest way to get into doing the work is to establish a daily habit:
After a bout with shin splints quite a few years ago, I became diligent about staying injury-free, so I do core exercises twice a week in the morning: sit-ups, push-ups, squats, superman, a triceps exercise with a resistance band or weights. The most important one seems to be the step stretch. It also saves me from all the boring calf and toe stretching exercises I had to do when I was recovering from my injury.
I don't usually stretch after a run of less than 10K, and don't seem to need it, but I definitely stretch a lot for the longer runs. After both of my recent half-marathons I did 3 sets of my regular stretches. It did the trick, and I was completely fine afterwards.
When I was younger I rarely stretched, but I'm 50 and had a couple of niggling muscle and tendon injuries, at least two of them are olde injuries returning to haunt me, I am quite a stickler now for post running stretching, even just 5 km.
I have a timer app on my Endomondo app to ensure that I do not cut corners, and have got into a routine of doing stretches in a certain order so I am less likely to forget.
I'm not much younger than you, but research has differed as to how useful stretching is, so I've experimented, and found that I don't need it on my shorter runs. I do a mental self-diagnostic, and do stretch if anything seems to call for it, though.
I agree that it's essential to have a routine. That's the only way I've been able to get myself to do my core exercises regularly. I came to exercise and running after I turned 40, so it has taken a lot of will power to make it a routine, and not just a dreaded chore.
And it is quite interesting on how differing research groups have on stretching, and warming up and warming down.
I do not do much of a warm up atall other than a 200 metre brisk walk before I start a gentle pace. One thing I do not do though is 'bounce stretch' which I see a lot of (older?) people do.
I also need to get into a core strengtheing regimen. when I graduate, that will be a quest aim Ithink.
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