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Are you wondering why you keep getting injured even if you perform stretching exercises before and after competitions or training sessions? Read on and discover some of the things that you may be doing wrong during those stretching sessions.

Wrong Timing

You may be getting injured because you perform stretches at the wrong time. For example, stretching exercises that are done when your muscles are not yet warm enough can increase your chance of being injured. This is because you will be forcing the muscle tissues to elongate quickly from a resting state. That sudden stress can trigger injuries. It is therefore important to warm up first by engaging in light exercises associated with the sporting activity you are preparing for. For example, a sprinter can warm up by jogging before doing stretching exercises.

Random Selection of Stretching Exercises

It is also improper to use the same stretching exercises for each kind of sport in which you indulge. For example, sprinters train differently from marathon runners. This is because the demands made upon the mind and body during those different activities aren't the same. The sprinter needs bursts of speed for a short duration. The long-distance runner needs endurance more than he/she needs bursts of speed. It is therefore wise to select different stretching exercises for different sports activities. There is no one-size-fits-all stretching routine.

Unnecessary Stretching

It has already been mentioned that stretching has a place in injury management and prevention. However, some specific kinds of stretching exercises are potentially detrimental for some athletes or sportsmen and women. The point being made here differs from what is covered under the section on random selection of stretching exercises. In random selection, you can do stretches that aren't helpful (and aren't harmful) for your specific sports discipline. Unnecessary stretching refers to selecting stretches that might be harmful to you.

For example, ballistic stretching isn't good for sprinters because it creates tension within the muscle tissues. The athlete can easily become injured when he or she exerts the tense muscle tissues during a sprint. It is, therefore, necessary to identify which stretching exercises aren't recommended for your sports discipline.

As such, your frequent injuries may be related to how you have been performing your stretching exercises. Talk to an injury management professional about your routines. That expert will recommend the changes that you should make while stretching to keep your injury risk minimal.