FLEXIBILITY FOR RUNNERS
Rolling can be done as tolerated from 10 rolls to 10 minutes! Stretching should either be held for 30sec + or made dynamic by slowly
moving in / out of stretch position for 30 sec
ROW A
1.
2.
3.
QUADS FOAM ROLLER – A: ROLL SMALL SEGMENTS OF THE FRONT OF YOUR THIGH, STARTING WITH 2 LEGS ON ROLLER AS IN PHOTO 1
AND PROGRESSING TO ONE LEG AS IN PHOTO 2. TO ROLL INNER QUADS ; PUT ROLLER ON ANGLE AS SHOWN IN PHOTO 3. B: ON PAINFUL SPOTS HOLD
THE TRIGGER POINT UNTIL PAIN EASES OR BEND STRAIGHTEN KNEE TO EASE
ROW B
1.
2.
3.
HIP FLEXOR / PSOAS TRIGGER POINT RELEASE (Photo 1/ 2) – PLACE BALL e.g TENNIS BALL, AS SHOWN TO THE SIDE, LEVEL WITH TUMMY BUTTON &
THEN LIE ON FRONT. FIND TIGHT / SORE SPOT UNDER BALL & COME UP ONTO ELBOWS, AS SHOWN. RELEASE MUSCLE BY BENDING / STRAIGHTENING
KNEE OR LIFTING STRAIGHT LEG UP TO STRETCH AND THEN RELEASE. AFTER 5-10 REPS YOU SHOULD FEEL TENSION / SORENESS REDUCE
PIRIFORMIS RELEASE (Photo 3) – WITH BALL UNDER OUTSIDE OF BUTTOCK, MASSAGE ANY TIGHT AREAS IN POSITION SHOWN / HOLD ON SORE SPOTS
UNTIL TRIGGER POINT EASES. IF POSITION IS TOO ADVANCED, LEAVE FOOT ON FLOOR INITIALLY
ROW C
1.
2.
3.
PIRIFORMIS STRETCH – TRY THESE STRETCHES AND CHOOSE ONE OF THE ABOVE. IN PHOTO 1, AIM IS TO HAVE FRONT KNEE AT 90⁰ AND BACK LEG
BENT, THEN LEAN FORWARDS TO FEEL STRETCH IN BUTTOCK OF FORWARD LEG. PROGRESS TO POSITION 2 BY STRAIGHTENING BACK LEG. PHOTO 3
IS AN ALTERNATIVE. NB – DO NOT LET HIPS TWIST AWAY TO MAKE IT EASIER!
ROW D
NB : tighten stomach and tuck butt under to
NB: as per photo 1 + toes tucked under
Lift arm up and lean slightly backwards / to the
stop back arching
opposite side to find best stretch
HIP FLEXOR STRETCH: IF YOU ARE TIGHT IT CAN BE HARD TO FEEL STRETCHING IN THE FRONT OF YOUR HIP SO PICK 1 OF THE STRETCHES ABOVE
THAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU!
ROW E
1.
2.
3.
1: ROLL ANY TIGHT AREAS ALONG THE SIDE OF YOUR THIGH (ITB) FROM YOUR PELVIS TO YOUR KNEE. 2: ROLL TIGHT AREAS OF YOUR CALVES A/A
ROTATING FOOT IN /OUT TO FIND ALL SORE AREAS. STRETCHING CALVES AFTER ROLLING WILL BE MORE EFFECTIVE. 3: STRETCH THE SIDE OF YOUR
BACK BY HOLDING A WALL / DOOR FRAME – LEAN TO ONE SIDE THEN TRY ROTATING AWAY TO GET THE MOST STRETCH
ROW F
WITH HANDS UNDER HEAD, TIGHTEN STOMACH
TO STOP LOW BACK ARCHING AND DROP BACK
OVER ROLLER – TRY DIFFERENT POSITIONS FOR
ROLLER TO FIND TIGHTEST PART OF SPINE
STRETCH CHEST BY LYING AS SHOWN, MAKE
STRETCH DYNAMIC BY TAKING HANDS OVER
HEAD – KEEPING HANDS ON FLOOR FOR MAX
STRETCH
ROSEMARY RHODES. MSc MCSP (UK)
PHYSIOTHERAPIST
Email: [email protected]
LENGTHEN YOUR TIGHT RUNNERS BODY TO LET
YOUR UPPER BODY KEEP GOOD FORM.
TRY TO KEEP BUTT ON HEELS AND ROLL AWAY
TO TOUCH FLOOR WITH CHEST