Plenty of runners stretch ahead of a run in the belief it will help prevent injury, but this practice is a myth and not backed by evidence, Australian researchers say. 

Two physiotherapists from Melbourne and one from the US have produced an infographic outlining why it’s pointless to do static stretches before running in a bid to prevent injury.

They say a static stretch, involving lengthening a muscle to the point of gentle tension and holding for 30 seconds, won’t hurt, but it won’t improve performance or prevent injury either.

“It is a commonly held belief that static stretching plays an important role in improving running performance and decreasing injury risk,” they wrote in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.