Intended for healthcare professionals

Rapid response to:

Editorials

Reducing risk of injury due to exercise

BMJ 2002; 325 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.325.7362.451 (Published 31 August 2002) Cite this as: BMJ 2002;325:451

Rapid Response:

Stretching Before Exercise Old Wives Tale

I have followed this story as it has emerged, it first came to my
attention via the Independent some years ago where tests were done by The
University of Sydney and Charles Sturt University on the Australian army.

Its really astonishing to notice how annoyed people if they are
relayed this information.

In my amateur football career I noticed that "warming up" was
considered a universal good, but it never did anything at all for me, so I
never did it. The only injuries I sustained were due to contact.

I recall the West ham United manager Harry Redknapp observing that
the players who had no truck with warming up seemed to be the same players
who very rarely reported strain injuries.

Competing interests: No competing interests

31 August 2002
Dominic J Shields
Computer Programmer in Civil Service
ONS, Govt Buildings, Cardiff Rd, Newport NP10 8XG