Stretching Best Practices to Help Avoid Injury

Avoiding injury is an important goal for athletes in any sport. Improving your flexibility is a great way to maintain fitness and ward off injury in your sport, but what is the best way to stretch to make sure you’re getting the most out of it? That depends.

Dynamic vs. Static Stretching

There are two basic types of stretches: dynamic stretches and static stretches. Dynamic stretching is stretching as part of a movement. Walking lunges are a good example of a dynamic stretch. In contrast, static stretching is any stretch where you are stationary as you perform the stretch. Touching your toes while standing still is an example of a static stretch.

Dynamic Stretches to Prepare Your Body

In general, you don’t want to do a static stretch on a cold muscle. Static stretches on cold muscles increase your risk of a muscle strain. It is a good idea to do a warmup with a short jog or dynamic movement (like jumping jacks) before any physical activity. Following that up with dynamic stretches will prepare your body for the upcoming activity. Swinging your shoulders, butt kicks, and walking lunges that incorporate an upper body twist are all examples of dynamic stretches that get your whole body ready for physical activity. After the activity (or after the dynamic stretch), static stretches can help you achieve a deeper stretch.

Static Stretches for a Deeper Stretch

Once your muscles are warm or you’ve completed your activity, static stretches can be a great way to get an even deeper stretch. Holding your ankle in your hand and pulling it up behind you as you bend your knee is a great way to stretch your quadriceps. Putting your straight leg out on a rail or chair and reaching for your foot will stretch your hamstring. Alter the way your foot points to target different parts of the leg. For example, a straight leg out to the side with the foot pointing away can target your inner thigh muscles. A good shoulder stretch is to stand in a doorway with your arms on either side and lean in or fall back. Finally, Dr Upshaw’s favorite: stand on the edge of a step and sink into your heel to stretch your Achilles. 

Put Together the Perfect Stretching Routine

How would you use this in practice? Here is an example - 

You have a tennis match. You show up 20 mins early to stretch/prepare. 

Warmup: Run around the court two times. 

Dynamic stretching: Walking lunges across the width of the court and back with an upper body twist as you go down. Follow that with butt kicks down one width and high knee raises going back. Next walking leg lifts (eg. Walk like Frankenstein) with your arms making big circles to stretch your shoulder 

Now static stretches: bend your knee and hold your ankle near your buttock to stretch your quadricep. Put your leg on a rail or chair – stretch your hamstring. Bend one leg and put the other like a figure four on top of the other (hold on to something if you don’t have good balance!). Stretch your heel on a step or against a post. Stretch your shoulder on a post. Don't forget the other side!

Now your muscles are warm and you are ready to dominate the court. Don't forget a little static stretching after your match for flexibility for the next win!