Recently we were advising a patient on the benefits of stretching for his injuries and structural imbalances. The patient responded by quoting the venerable Alberto Salazar: "I'll do more stretching when they make it an Olympic sport." The greatness of Alberto Salazar's running career was marked by his tremendous ability to ignore the pain and warning signals his body was sending. Unfortunately, that trait also led to his early demise in the years when he should have achieved his ultimate running success.

Many runners rarely find time to stretch on a regular basis. When faced with the prospect of either squeezing in two more miles during lunch or implementing a 15 minute stretching regime, mileage always gets the nod. Let's face it--our running logs are insatiable for mileage totals, but have little appetite for stretching time. Have you ever noted in your log: "Had a great stretch today"? When it comes to stretching, we prefer the approach expounded by Steve Jones: "Money and fame are irrelevant really. I'm just a hamstring away from oblivion, you've got to look at it like that."

In recent years, stretching has developed a bad name. Some top runners, including Salazar, proclaimed they did little stretching, and several studies were published debunking the benefits of stretching. One such study compared the pressure required to "snap" the leg tendons of rats with and without stretching. The study found no measurable difference and concluded that stretching had little benefit for human runners. There are two questions regarding the validity of the study as it relates to runners--first, how could the rat tell the researcher when it was getting a good stretch ("Oh, that's it, right there!"), as opposed to the end result of snapping the tendons; and, second, how many rats sit in cars or on the Metro commuting to work, sit at desks 8+ hours per day, and walk in high heels before heading out for a run. These postural abuses cause imbalances in flexibility that necessitate stretching--for humans anyway. Fortunately, more recent studies using human subjects have validated the benefits of stretching. Many of these findings have been published in Running Research News and Peak Performance newsletters.

The primary goals of stretching are to:

Achieve proper balance of flexibility between opposing muscle groups Increase the range of motion of a body part without decreasing its strength or stability Increase the length of muscle fibers without overstretching the associated tendons and ligaments

If these goals are accomplished, better performance can be achieved and risk of injury lowered. If stretching is improperly applied or overdone, associated tendons and ligaments may be functionally impaired, lessening the stability of important joints such as ankles and knees. We should not be trying to attain someone else's ideal of flexibility, but rather seek to improve ourselves to our optimal flexibility. Generally, men have less flexibility than women because women have more of the muscle protein Elastin which promotes muscle flexibility.

Stretching can help reduce the risk of injury by increasing a muscle's resting length. Muscles have an average capability to be stretched to 130 percent of their resting length before tearing. If the resting length of the muscle is increased, 130 percent of the new length is greater, thus creating a bigger cushion zone before muscle tissue is damaged. Post-running soreness (next day effect) is a result of micro-tears to the muscle tissue. Increased flexibility may decrease this sensation as well. Most overuse injuries are the result of imbalances in biomechanics. Therefore, stretching, which increases normal range of motion, will help balance biomechanics and evenly distribute running stresses to both sides of the body. These factors determine how injury-free our running will be over the long haul.

Stretching may also influence and enhance running performance. We always tell our patients that there are two ways to run faster: 1) Pump your arms and legs faster to increase your stride frequency (turnover), and 2) increase your average stride length to cover more ground with each step. It has been theorized that if you could increase your stride length by 1 inch without changing other factors (stride frequency), you would be able to take 15 seconds off a 5K time, 30 seconds off a 10K time, and over 2 minutes off a marathon time. This is not to say you should begin "bounding" from the starting line of your next race. Rather, develop a sound stretching program to increase leg strength and flexibility. The end result may be a longer and more efficient stride, contributing to training and racing improvements. It looks good on paper, but true gains in flexibility take patience and consistency over a period of time. Older and more inflexible runners will require even more patience and diligence for results. The potential benefits are well worth the wait.

Optimal benefits are gained by stretching before and after a run. Our hectic lifestyles and jobs promote muscle imbalances and tension. Commuting, sitting, standing, walking in shoes (particularly high heels) all contribute to inflexibility. Taking a few minutes to stretch prior to a run can greatly reduce the early running awkwardness one can feel while trying to rediscover the athlete within. Long term gains in flexibility are best achieved by stretching after a run when muscles are warm and most pliable. Even in an extremely hectic schedule, time can be made for stretching once it becomes a priority. Experiment with stretching at different times of the day, and before and after runs. Then, adopt the routine which best fits your schedule. Concentrate on major muscle groups, holding stretches for 30 seconds to 1 minute for best results. Each session does not have to be an hour-long stretch test. A few minutes a day on a consistent basis could have your training partners calling you "Gumby"!

Take the first step--establish in your mind that gaining and maintaining flexibility can enhance your running performance and help keep you injury free!

Dr. Neil McLaughlin, a graduate of St. John's University and New York Chiropractic College, is a certified chiropractic sports physician. Dr. Ron Kulik is a graduate of Virginia Tech and New York Chiropractic College. Drs. McLaughlin and Kulik are members of the ACA and VCA Council on Sports Injuries and Physical Fitness. They practice at the Commonwealth Chiropractic Center of Reston where they treat many of the top area runners. Questions and comments should be forwarded to Commonwealth Chiropractic Center, 11319 Sunset Hills Road, Reston, VA 20190.