How important is warm up and cool down?

Are you someone who loves running? Loves going to the gym? Loves playing football or golf or any other sport? And if you do, are you following an appropriate warm up or cool down routine? 

I know, we are so busy with our lifestyles and on top of that, having an exercise routine feels so time consuming that we skip on doing any kind of warm up or cool down. 

It might surprise you to learn how many people believe that they can skip their cool-down after treadmill jogging or that they don't need to warm up before training their core. In most cases, it’s not because people hate doing the warm up or cool-down, but because they simply want to save time. Ultimately, it is only the workout that matters, right? 

Unfortunately, only doing workout is not what counts, and individuals who neglect the pre- and post-workout routines may be doing more damage to their bodies than they realise. Studies say that around 30% of acute injuries and 70% of chronic overuse syndromes result due to not having a warm up and cool down in any kind of sports or physical activity. 

Working at our Xcel Health Physiotherapy Clinics in Maidstone and Sittingbourne, I frequently see patients who suffer from musculoskeletal and sports injuries following any kind of physical exercise and these injuries could be prevented with a thorough warm-up and cool-down regimen. 

First of all, let’s have a look at the importance of warming up and cooling down. 

Benefits of warming up

•  Injury prevention- By facilitating blood flow to your muscles and loosening up your joints, warming up reduces the risk of injury and reduces the likelihood that your muscles will rip, tear, or twist during an exercise. Stretching also aids in getting your muscles ready for the physical exercises you're about to perform.

•  Increased blood flow- Spending ten minutes warming up with a little exercise helps your skeletal muscles receive more blood and dilates blood vessels. Increasing blood flow is one of the finest ways to prime your muscles for a workout since it transports the oxygen your muscles require to perform.

•  Increased oxygen efficiency- During exercise, your muscles require more oxygen, so it's critical to increase the availability of this oxygen by warming up.

Benefits of cooling down

•  Recovery- Your body accumulates lactic acid after vigorous activity, and it takes time for it to go. Stretching and other cool-down exercises can facilitate the body's natural release and elimination of lactic acid, accelerating the healing process after a workout.

•  Preventing Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)- After working out, cooling down can help reduce severe muscular soreness, making you more comfortable and enabling your body to heal in time for your next session.

My tips on warm up exercises-

    - 5-10 mins of brisk walking/jogging/cycling

    - Going up and down the stairs

    - Arm circles, leg swings, lunges, marching on spot. 

My tips on cool down exercises-

To cool down after exercise, simply lower the intensity of the activity you’ve been doing. For instance, convert a rapid swim into an easy swim, a jog into a stroll, or a run into a jog.

Also, you can do some static leg, arm and back stretches by holding for at least 20-30 seconds. 

If you would like further information, please contact us at 01795606066. We would be happy to assist you and discuss any concerns that you have. 

Lets give our best by incorporating these in our workout routine and aim to have lesser injuries!