The best time to stretch

There has been a long standing debate among athletes, coaches and sports physicians  on when is the best time to stretch ... before exercise or after exercise?

This latest study from the Archive of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine published November 7, 2011, supports the theory that neuromuscular warm-up training (NMT) before  a game reduces lower extremity injury.

The group was composed of 105 girls' soccer and basketball teams from all Chicago high schools.

Half of the teams were asked to perform a prescribed 20-minute neuromuscular warm-up while the other teams stuck to their standard methods including no warm-up exercise at all or simply jogging around the track on their own.

Overall, there was less lower extremity injury in the group that performed the prescribed neuromuscular warm-up compared to the other teams.

There was a forty-four percent decrease in acute non-contact lower extremity injury and a thirty-four percent decrease in non-contact ankle sprains among players who performed the NMT warm-up.

Seven athletes in the group with no warm-up sustained anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries and six of them required surgery. Only two sustained ACL injuries in the warm-up group and both girls did not need surgery.

This theory is not new to us. It just further supports the idea that NMT warm-up may have a role in preventing injury.

Coach Binky Favis, the former coach of professional basketball teams Coca-Cola and Ginebra has this advice "Make sure your warm-up program consists of agility, balance and biometric exercises. Widen your stance, don't let your knees bump each other and always, always land on flexed knees and hips."

Here is an example of a 20-minute warm-up program before engaging in exercise or sports ( visit www.usfsa.org/content/Exercises.pdf for the complete instructions with images)

1. Jump Rope. Using a fast twirl, rapidly jump up and down, using spring in the feet and ankles, not in the knees.

2. Ankle Bounces. Rapidly jump up and down using spring in the feet and ankles not in the knees.

3. Jumping Jacks. Jump feet wide and together while bringing arms over head then down to hips.

4. V-Jumps. Start with opposite arm and foot to the front. With small jumps, quickly alternate the lead foot and arm on each jump.

5. Walking Quad Stretch. Bring heel to butt and press hips forward.

6. Walking Lunge Stretch. Keep belly button facing straight ahead.

7. Side Step Lunge. Step directly to the side, keep head, knee and toe in straight line.

8. Standing Hamstring. Keep hips square.

9. Kneeling Hip Flexor. Keep belly button facing straight ahead.

Do all exercises 16 counts each for 2 repetitions.