Does it matter what you do before high impact exercises, such as running or jumping rope?

The short answer is YES. 

Exercise is allowing some type of force to move through your body. Your job is to control the speed and direction of the force and to decelerate to a complete stop at the appropriate time.  This creates some challenges for the health and longevity of our joints.

Since all movements occur at the joint, all exercises are joint exercises. Your muscles will get stronger and faster by controlling the amount of force moving through the joint. it sounds simple, but there’s a catch. Gravity pulls objects toward the earth’s surface at a constant speed. So, every time you walk, jump, or run, the Force of your body will be multiplied through your joints. For example, someone weighing 180 pounds who decides to go for a run, can easily experience 1080 pounds of force through their knees with each footfall. The more you weigh or the higher you jump your joints will experience greater force. 

How did you prepare your body so you get the benefits while reducing the risk?

For decades static stretching was the protocol. There is no scientific proof that prolonged tugging on the muscle, tendon, and ligament fibers improve controlled joint mobility or stability. So what do you do?

Simple, begin preparing the body for movement by gently moving the joints you plan to use. Running, for example, will actively involve the feet, ankles, knees, and hips. So a simple prep may look like this.

1. Toe Taps – Tap your feet alternating about 20 times each

2. Toe Taps Charlie Chaplin –  tap your feet open and close 5 times

3. Roll each ankle in a circle 5 times each direction

4. Calf raises 10 times.

5. March in place with high knees 5 times each side.

6. Butt Kicks – Kick your heels to your butt 5 times each side.

7. Feet shoulder-width apart -hip circles five times each direction.

There you go.

If this seems simple, it is. But simple doesn’t mean ineffective. In fact, in the world of joint mechanics simple can mean the difference between shin splints or arthritis.