The best ways to stretch after running

Stretching "won't eliminate your chances of getting injured, but it will decrease it," he says. He says, "When you're doing active stretching, you're improving the mind-muscle connection,"

Stretching may help you recover after a long run or strong interval training by "resetting" your neurological system. The neurological system has two sides. For relaxation and digesting,

"So, post-run stretching and diaphragmatic breathing will increase your parasympathetic nervous system drive, which will improve recovery,"

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The type of post-run stretches matters. Wickham advocates end-range isometrics, or dynamic stretching, above static or passive stretching. Passive stretching involves relaxing and letting gravity take over.

Squeezing and releasing the hamstring for 10 seconds is an active form of that stretch. "When you're loading the joint while it's fully stretched out, you're telling the nervous system

Complete one round of each leg stretch as a full-body mobility circuit, or add cooling stretches to your post-run stretch routine.

Update your post-run routine with deliberate, effective stretches that won't lengthen your workout.

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