Bad Back

[S1eepless]

I have been running since last xmas and ran 10 mile long runs comfortably and without injury. Darker evenings saw me turn to my bike to keep fit during the week , however:
I hurt my back after cross training on my moutain bike through Grizedales Northface route.
Went to see the Doc and she recons it is just muscle spasms caused by a lack of stretching. A week of pain killers and muscle relaxants with no running or beer made me really grumpy but reduced the pain.

I can now put my socks on my self but this whole episode has made me consider the stretch.

Having never really stretched for my running, do you think that is an over sight?
Is stretching only benificial for more than one muscle group?

[S1eepless]

Just a message to other back pain sufferers

Swiss Ball excersises really helped strenghten and stretch out my back muscles. £6 from Tesco
I then started running again on soft sand. after 6 weeks I am back running on the fells again.
I stretch loads.

[nikalas]

The jury is still very much out on the beneficial effects of stretching with regards to injury prevention. A few recent meta-analysis studies have shown very inconclusive results. One of the key points to come out is that stretching prior to exercise to pretty pointless. An aerobic warm-up followed by mobility exercises targetting relevant muscle groups (for fell running lunges, squats, calf raises and some hopping/bouncing) is far more effective. Post-exercise I tend to err on the side of 10 minutes or so of general stretching covering the major muscle groups and the odd yoga class. I don't know if it helps prevent injuries but it makes me feel better. Core strengthening, re-hab exercises and stretches prescribed by a physio in order to correct a weakness/imbalance/specific tightness are very condition/individual specific.

[A.P.E Knott]

I carry out Makenzie and Sarha Keys exersises before and after runs,this is after a prety bad prolapsed disc problem a couple of years ago.
If i did not do these i just would not be able to run.
I was reading a Frankl Horwill article a while ago where he quoted a recent study that suggested stretching did not significantly reduce injury APART from the back.

[S1eepless]

Cheers for the responses.

I thought I was onto the right track Nik,with not stretching for fell running. The xtraining on the bike just messed me up BIGTIME. But the rehabb stretches helped free the muscles up , and I suppose that is the use of them- just to keep supple like you APE.