Stretching and strengthening are very important in the prevention of injuries.

Stretching

Aims of flexibility training

• Maintain and/or improve joint mobility
• Reduce the risk of the joints being subjected to great load at their outer limits
• Prevent injury by co-ordinating the various parts of the musculo-skeletal system
• Adapt the musculo-skeletal system to the special demands of a particular sport

Guidelines to stretching

• It is important to stretch before and after a run
• Daily stretching sessions
• Static stretching held for 30 - 90 seconds
• Stretch is repeated 3 - 9 times
• Maintain full passive range of the muscle being stretched
• Do not bounce into the stretch
• NO pain should be felt with stretching

Stretches for runners

	Quadriceps Stand and bend your leg to the buttocks holding your ankle with your hand. The stretch should be felt at the front of the thigh of the bent leg
	Hamstrings Stand facing a surface approximately hip height or slightly lower. Place one leg stretched out in front on the surface. Bend forward at the hips, maintain the lordosis and keep the stomach muscles tight. The stretch should be felt at the back of the thigh of the raised leg. Incorporate a dural stretch, which is a stretch of the nervous system tissue, by bending you head forward (chin to chest), keep your leg up and move your foot up and down
	Hamstrings 2 Sit with one leg straight and foot of the other leg against inside of thigh. Slowly bend forwards from hips towards the foot of the straight leg and feel back of the leg stretch
	Hamstrings 3 Lie on yhout back, pull your right knee towards your chest, keeping your head flat on the floor. Hold this position , while keeping back flat.
	Spine and bottom stretch Sit with one leg straight and the other bent with the foot of this leg outside the knee of the first. Bend the elbow on the same side as the straight leg and place it outside the knee of the bent leg and push back. Place the arm on the same side as the straight leg behind you on the floor, and turn your head towards it, creating a spine stretch.
	Ankle Rotate your ankle clockwise and anti-clockwise through a complete range of motion.
	Gluteal Lie on your back with your fingers interlaced and your arms above your head. Lift the left leg over the right leg. Use the left leg to pull the right leg towards the floor. The stretch should be felt in the buttock region of the right leg.
	Iliotibial band Stand with one leg crossed over in front of the other. Turn you body towards the side of the leg in front and bend toward your toes. Bend at the hips. The stretch should be felt on the outer aspect of the leg behind.
	Calf Stand facing a supportive surface a slight distance away. With one leg bent at the hip, knee and ankle, stretch the other leg out behind you, keeping your heel on the ground. The stretch should be felt in the calf muscle of the outstretched leg. Maintaining that position, bend the knee of the outstretched leg slightly.
	Piriformis Stand facing a surface approximately hip height. Place one leg with the bend resting on the surface. Bend forward at the hips towards the side of the bent leg. The stretch should be felt in the buttock region of the bent leg
	Lattisimus dorsi Sit on the ground with one leg stretched out in front and slightly to the side, and the other knee bent resting on the ground with the sole of the foot against the outstretched leg. Turn towards the straight leg and reach towards your ankle
	Groin Muscles Lie flat on your back, bend your knees and place the soles of your feet together, let the knees drop towards the ground. The stretch should be felt in the inner aspect of both thighs This stretch can also be performed in sitting. Sit on the floor. Put the soles of your feet together and hold onto your toes. Gently pull yourself forward, bending from the hips, until you fees a good stretch in the groin
	Hip flexors Move one leg forward until knee is directly over ankle. Your other knee should be resting on the floor. Lower the front of your hip downward and feel stretch in the front of the hip
	Achilles tendon From a standing position, squat down with your feet flat and toes pointing slightly outwards. Keep knees to the outside of your shoulders

Strengthening

	VMO This muscle is important in controlling the correct movement of the knee cap. Stand with your neck against a wall. Squat down to just short of 90°. Now slide up and down the wall. In the same starting position, place your arms against the wall and slide them up above your head making your elbows straight.
	Abdominals In a sitting position, leaning slightly backwards with no arm support, lift one foot off the ground then the other. Then return them to the ground one at a time. This in in fact very difficult to do if done correctly
	Eccentric quadriceps On a stair or raised surface, step slowly down with one leg, just touching the surface with your toes and then return to the starting position
	Gluteal muscles This muscle is important in assisting in maintaining the correct alignment of the leg. Lie on your side. Tie elastic tubing around your ankles, and lift the top leg towards the ceiling

Balance and proprioception

Proprioception is the interaction between the nervous system, muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints. It is the mind's idea of where the body part is in space

Good co-ordination training enables steady and controlled movements to be made without them being hampered by activity in those muscles which exert an opposite effect.

• Stand on one leg close your eyes and balance.
• Balance on a narrow board or roller