Stretching before you begin exercising is something sports enthusiasts know is crucial to a healthy workout. Individuals who are just beginning a workout routine, though, may not be aware of how important a pre-workout stretching routineis. When you stretch you infuse your muscles with oxygen and help to relax them before you begin the workout.

Everyone has heard or read about the importance of stretching both before and after a workout, but not everyone does it. Individuals who forgo this pre-workout step can pay for it if they sustain injuries. The beauty of stretching is that it can be done practically anytime, anywhere with a minimum of equipment.

You may justify skipping it because you think a) you don’t have enough time because your workout time has been cut short or b) you figure if you start off your workout slowly the stretching will “naturally” happen. Besides that, you’re more interested in the health benefits you reap from the actual workout than the amount of time you have to spend stretching.

Stretching before beginning your exercise routine can improve your body’s flexibility, decrease your risk of sustaining an injury and enhance your athletic performance. As an example of how flexibility can help you, according to the Mayo Clinic, “…if your Achilles tendon is tight and lacks flexibility. If you do a lot of hill walking, your foot may not move through its full range of motion. Over time, this can increase your risk of tendinitis or tendinopathy in your Achilles tendon. Stretching your Achilles tendon, though, may improve the range of motion in your ankle. This, in turn, can decrease the risk of microtrauma to your tendon that can lead to overload and injury.”

Conversely, don’t consider pre-workout your stretching routine as a warm-up in and of itself. Individuals have injured themselves by stretching cold muscles. Before you begin stretching, take a few minutes to bike, jog or walk prior to stretching. It’s better to stretch after your muscles have been “warmed up.”

Your warm-up and stretching routine should hone in on major muscle groups: calves, hips, lower back, neck and shoulders and thighs. Keep in mind that you need to stretch both sides of your body equally. Move into your stretches slowly and evenly; don’t bounce or tug as this can cause tears in the muscle. Hold your stretches for a minimum of 30 seconds. Keep in mind, if you experience pain during the stretch, stop. You should feel tension, not pain.

Your stretches should relate to the sport which you will be participating in. Ask a trainer for stretches that can be tailored to the sport or activity that you participate in most often.

If you plan your weekly workout routines to an every other day schedule, make certain you plan for stretching workouts on the “off” days. Keeping your muscles and body active even on the days when you may not be out on the soccer field, basketball court or running and hiking, helps keep you limber for your more intense workout days.

You could incorporate some yoga or pilates moves into your stretching routine. Those exercises will not only keep you limber, but can help work on muscle groups you may be neglecting in your usual stretching workout. Remember, your stretching doesn’t necessarily have to be done immediately before your workout. Stretch throughout the day to keep your body flexible. Do some leg lifts, deep knee bends or toe touches.

Bottom line: The purpose of any stretching routine is to work to increase muscle length which in turn, facilitates overall ease of movement. A pre-workout stretching routine makes your limbs and muscles more supple and this can reduce the strain on them when you’re undergoing a strenuous workout. Ultimately, preventing injury means preventing chronic pain later in life.