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Five Pain Relief and Stretching Methods After Running

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Five Pain Relief and Stretching Methods After Running (by Sportsperformance Physiotherapy)

There is a big difference between stretching after and before running. Post-run stretching is more crucial than pre-run stretching; not stretching after running may lead to muscle inflammation! There are five methods of stretching and pain relief after running.

 

Calf Stretch

1. Hold your arms straight up against the wall (or a flat surface) and stand with one leg forward and one leg backward.
2. Bend your front leg, straighten your back leg, and lean your body forward (without collapsing your back).
3. Keep your heel on the ground, and switch legs after 30 seconds. Do 3 sets, one set for each side.

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Standing Hamstring Stretch
1. Stand up straight, lift your left leg and place it on a box in front of you (or a flat surface), with your pelvis facing forward.
2. Bend your upper body forward until you feel a stretch on the back of your thigh. Hold for more than 30 seconds, change legs, do three sets on each side.
(Note: Focus on bending forward from the hips and tilting the pelvis forward.)

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Inner Thigh Stretch
1. In the side lunge position, lean forward and slowly bend towards the ground, supporting the ground in front of you with both hands.
2. Stretch your legs far to the side, keeping your thighs and calves in a straight line.
3. Point the inner thigh towards the ground, hold for more than 30 seconds, change legs, and do three sets on each side.

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Quadriceps (front thigh) Stretching
1. In a standing position, grab your left foot with your left hand and place it behind your body.
2. Bring your knees of both legs together as much as possible, and slowly pull your left toe toward your buttocks with your left hand.
3. Hold for 30-50 seconds, then switch to the other leg.

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Butterfly Stretch
1. Sit in a seated position with your legs bent at the knees, feet facing each other and placed directly in front of your navel.
2. Try to find the most comfortable position you can, place your feet close to the groin and lean your body forward. Keep this position for 30-50 seconds.

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