To run injury-free, take time for mobility

As a 23-year-old marathon novice, I would often roll out of bed, throw on my sneakers, and head out of the house for a 15K training run without warming up. Two decades later, if I don't spend at least ten minutes mobilizing my joints before an easy 5K, I'll be dealing with hip and lower back pain (and somehow shoulder pain, too) for a week.

I have learned that if you want to continue walking when you are older, you have to do more than just put one foot in front of the other.

“Flexibility is critical to ensuring we don't injure ourselves when we begin an exercise like running,” says Julian Ho, a kinesiologist and certified ultramarathon coach. “I tell my clients that the warm-up is the workout.”

Mobility versus flexibility

Flexibility is passive, meaning you don't have to use your muscles and other tissues to move through a range of motion, says Lindsay Scott, a registered physical therapist and clinic director at Runner's Academy (think touching your toes or doing downward dog in yoga). Mobility is active, allowing joints to move freely through a full range of motion, such as Do squats or arm circles. This is especially important as we get older and our joints tend to become stiff.

“Mobility requires communication between your brain, muscles and other tissues so you can figure out where your body is in space and then create a coordinated plan for good movement,” says Scott.

Both are important for overall health and longevity, but mobility training helps runners maintain control over their range of motion. It can also improve running performance. For example, focusing on hip, knee and ankle mobilization can improve your ability to apply force as you lift off the ground with each stride.

However, lack of exercise can lead to muscle imbalances. “The human body is incredibly adaptable,” says Scott. “If we lack mobility in one area, we'll find it somewhere else.” Over time, the tissue that can withstand more of this stress reaches its limits and that can lead to injury.

Should you mobilize before or after training?

Our experts say it's important to take time to do some exercise before logging your miles.

“It's like breaking up the cobwebs and putting WD-40 on your joints,” says Ho, who suggests performing movement sequences that are specifically tailored to the mechanics of running.

Every time your foot touches the ground while running, the ground also presses against your body. Depending on your gait, your individual body and your running mechanics This force can be even greater. “It is therefore a good idea to [your body]make sure you can handle these loads efficiently,” says Scott. “Mobility training before the run can prepare your body for the demands of the run.”

While post-workout mobilization is not as important, static stretching can help relieve pain and aid your body's recovery process.

How to get started

Before your next run, try this six-minute, beginner-friendly mobility sequence developed by Ho.

Leg swings (front to back)

Wrap one hand around the edge of a door frame (or a tree, fence or lamp post if you're outside) with your body perpendicular to the frame and your elbow slightly bent. Keeping your torso straight, lift the leg furthest from the door frame and kick as far as your range of motion allows, then swing it back behind you. Continue these swings for 30 seconds, increasing the range of motion every 10 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Pendulum leg swings (side to side)

Turn your body towards the door frame and grasp it loosely with both hands. Bring your left leg slightly in front of your body and begin to swing it from left to right across your body as far as your range of motion comfortably allows. Continue these swings for 30 seconds, increasing the range of motion every 10 seconds. Repeat the exercise on the other side.

The World's Greatest Stretch (also known as Deep Lunge with Overhead Reach)

Start in the plank position. Step your right foot forward, outside your right hand, keeping your knee bent. Squeeze your glutes and engage your core. Lift your right hand off the floor and extend it toward the sky, rotating your body toward the bent leg. As you bring your right arm back, bend your elbow and keep your forearm just above the floor next to your right foot. Repeat 10 times on the right side, then 10 times on the left side.

A-jumps

Find a patch of pavement or grass and jump forward, pulling the knee of your front leg up to your chin. Alternate legs for about 20 meters, then turn around and repeat the exercise in the opposite direction. Try to pull your front knee up and your back leg down with equal force.

Shoulder rolls

Your shoulders and arms are also important for good running technique. Keep your upper body upright and slowly pull your shoulders back, then up towards your ears, then forward and then back to a relaxed position. Do this for 30 seconds and then change direction for another 30 seconds.

Alyssa Age is a journalist and author of Secrets of Giants: A Journey to Uncover the True Meaning of Strength. She is also a strongman competitor and endurance athlete, and a former personal trainer and group fitness instructor.