Stretching does a lot of good things for your body, but basically it keeps your muscles loose, helps prevent aches, pains and fatigue and helps your muscles perform more efficiently and effectively. It also strengthens muscles and joints. All of these things help prevent injuries.

A popular mistake people make is stretching before they run, when their muscles are cold. It’s best to stretch immediately after your run. If you also want to stretch beforehand, do so only after you have warmed up by running about 10 minutes. Your muscles will be more flexible after warming up and stretch more easily.

Select stretches that target the calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, shoulders, back, iliotibial (IT) band and groin. Hold your stretches for 30 to 60 seconds, and don’t stretch so far that you’re in pain. Feeling a little bit of tightness is O.K., but you shouldn’t be in agony. Also, don’t bounce while stretching. This old-fashioned practice can actually cause injury.