Researchers believe it is a myth that we must stretch before jogging. Millions of joggers around the world do this. It is a daily ritual in many parks and streets. Researchers say there is no evidence to show stretching improves running performance or decreases the risk of injuries. The research is in the 'British Journal of Sports Medicine'. There is evidence that stretching can keep our joints flexible, but it won't help performance or prevent injuries.
A researcher conducted the research after talking about stretching with joggers. He jogs and often wonders about the benefits of stretching. He said: "Runners have...beliefs around running injury risks... and performance that are in contrast to current research evidence." He said runners follow ineffective strategies to prevent injuries or increase performance. He said a 5-10-minute session of walking or light jogging was the best warm-up.