What Is Running Economy and Why It Matters
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Running economy (RE) refers to how efficiently your body uses oxygen while running at a steady pace. Simply put, better running economy means you can run faster or longer using less energy. This makes RE especially important for long-distance runners.
Stretching Before Running: A Common Habit
Stretching before a run is a routine many athletes follow, believing it helps prevent injuries and improves performance. The idea is that stretching can warm up the muscles and improve flexibility. However, some experts have warned that stretching might actually reduce the stiffness in muscles and tendons—something that could hurt running economy.
What Does the Research Say?
A recent review looked at 15 studies involving 181 healthy adults to understand if stretching really impacts running economy. The researchers focused on three types of stretching:
- Static stretching: Holding a stretch without moving, often for 30 seconds or more.
- Dynamic stretching: Moving through a range of motion repeatedly (like leg swings).
- PNF stretching: A mix of stretching and muscle contractions.
They found no clear evidence that any type of stretching, done just before running, significantly changed running economy. In fact, whether participants stretched or didn’t stretch, their performance didn’t differ much in terms of oxygen use or energy cost.
What About Long-Term Stretching?
The review also looked at a few long-term studies—where people stretched regularly for several weeks. Again, there wasn’t enough good-quality evidence to say stretching helps or harms running economy in the long run. More studies are needed here.
Should You Stop Stretching Before Running?
Based on the current research, there’s no strong reason to avoid stretching before running, but there’s also no strong reason to rely on it for performance gains. Here are some key takeaways:
- Stretching doesn’t hurt your performance (at least not for most people).
- It doesn’t seem to help your running economy either, so if you’re short on time, you can skip it.
- Do what works best for your body—if stretching makes you feel better or more prepared, it’s fine to keep doing it.
Tips for a Smarter Warm-Up
Instead of focusing only on stretching, try including these elements in your warm-up:
- Light jogging: Gets your heart rate up and blood flowing.
- Dynamic movements: Such as high knees, leg swings, or walking lunges to activate muscles.
- Short drills: Like skips or strides to prepare your running form.
This kind of active warm-up is more closely linked to improved performance and may reduce injury risk.
Final Thoughts
Stretching has long been a go-to for runners, but current evidence suggests it neither improves nor harms running economy in any major way. If you enjoy stretching and it helps you feel ready, continue. But if you’re looking purely for performance benefits, you might focus more on dynamic warm-ups and strength training instead.