Warm-ups: your practical guide to reducing injuries, increasing performance and reducing post exercise soreness

The benefits of a warm-up

Injury prevention

Tight muscle can easily tear, so you can help prevent injuries by stretching or relaxing muscles to their full operational length. However, if you stretch too far it can allow joint to move more than normal and be injured (1,2)⁠. This should not be a problem with any of the massages, or dynamic warm-up exercises that use normal movements though.

Increasing performance and reducing post exercise soreness

You will read claims that because massages and warm-ups do things like increasing blood flow they increase performance (3–6). However, there have been a lot of clinical trials that tell us whether they actually do or not. We will share these results in the next section.

Your warm-up options

1. Conventional massages
2. Vibration massage
3. Foam rollers
4. Conventional stretching
5. Dynamic warm-ups (exercises)
6. Massage guns

Conventional massage

Conventional massage is where a therapist uses manual techniques such as rubbing, pressure and kneading. This will vary depending on the skills of the therapist and the needs of the client.

What the science says about conventional massage

Injury prevention

Conventional massage can help flexibility, but should not allow excessive joint movement. Therefore, it should help reduce the risk of muscle strains and tears.

Improving performance

Convention massage may help flexibility, but according to the most recent review of clinical trials there is no evidence that massage has any effect on strength, endurance or fatigue (7)⁠⁠.

Reducing post exercise soreness and speeding recovery

Several trials show that massage after exercise helps recovery (8–12)⁠ but we could not find any testing massage as part of a warm up.

Foam rollers

Foam rollers are devices that enable users to self apply pressure that imitates the techniques that professional therapists use. They are heavily advertised, and promote self massage.

What science says about foam rollers

Injury prevention

Foam rolling initially increase flexibility, but this increase only lasts less than 10 minutes (18–20)⁠⁠. Therefore, any benefits will likely be gone before you compete.

Increasing performance

Clinical trials have shown that foam rollers give no improvement in performance (18,21–24)⁠⁠.

Reducing post exercise soreness and speeding recovery

Clinical trials show that foam rolling after exercise has only negligible benefits. We could not find any trials that tested using them before exercise.

Dynamic warm-ups

A dynamic warm-up means doing movement or activities such as exercising. Scientists advise that the best dynamic warm ups incorporate or mimic the movements or activities of the sport or exercise. The basic principle is to put the joints and muscles through the activities they will be performing with gradually increasing intensity, without causing fatigue.

What science says about dynamic warm-ups

Injury prevention

Dynamic warm-ups have been shown to increase flexibility (26)⁠⁠, but should not force joints beyond their normal movements. They should help reduce the risk of injury.

Improving performance

Dynamic warm ups have been shown to increase strength, and in one trial found that compared with no warm-up dynamic warm-ups actually increased the height an athlete could jump by 2” (5cm) (26,27)⁠.

Reducing post exercise soreness and speeding recovery

We could find no trials that tested this.

Putting together an effective warm-up routine

For your easy reference we have summarised the benefits of each warm-up activity in a table below. We see articles and videos with titles such as “The five best warmup exercises”, but clearly to get the most benefits you need a routine that combines the benefits of different activities and that is tailored to the sport and exercise you are about to do. Here are some general guidelines.

Standard disclaimer: this is not specific advice, just general information to be discussed with your own health care professional.

Dynamic warm up

Dynamic warm ups have very positive benefits. It is important to chose the exercises that incorporate or mimic the activity you will be doing. The basic principle is to start slowly and increase intensity. You should aim to put your joints and muscles as realistically as possible though what they will be doing, without wasting undue energy or causing fatigue.

Vibration massage

Vibration massage (not massage guns) also has excellent benefits. Time is important so the best solution would be to a professional standard machine like our Ultimate Quad Head Massager that is capable of massaging a larger area at once. A good routine would be to apply 30-60 seconds to each of the major muscle groups you will be using.

Conventional massage

Conventional massage will be worthwhile, but not be the best use of your time. While it has some benefits it takes longer and they are not as great as those of a dynamic warm up or vibration.

Stretching exercises

Stretching exercises do help lengthen your muscles, but if you overdo it they will reduce performance and increase your risk of joint injuries. If you do stretch limit the stretch to normal movements of your joints.

Foam rollers

Clinical trials show practically no benefits from using foam rollers, while non professionally supervised real world usage is likely to produces even worse. These are not recommended.

Massage guns (percussion massagers)

As discussed above percussion massagers are an attempt to combine vibration massage and conventional massage. The reality is that they deliver far less therapeutic vibration without any redeeming compensation. The massage gun marketing material will tell you how beneficial vibration is, so just get a proper vibration massager. For more info please see How to choose a massager

References

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3. Fuller JT, Thomson RL, Howe PRC, Buckley JD. Effect of vibration on muscle perfusion: A systematic review. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging. 2013;33(1):1–10.
4. Maloney-Hinds C, Petrofsky JS, Zimmerman G. The effect of 30 Hz vs. 50 Hz passive vibration and duration of vibration on skin blood flow in the arm. Med Sci Monit. 2008;14(3):CR112-6.
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