lean back to increase the stretch in the front of your thigh. Take care if you have ankle problems, and stay tall in your upper body to avoid compressing your lower back. 2. Bent-leg standing hamstrings stretchBe thoroughly warmed up before you attempt

Warming up before a race or a speedwork session should mean more than just a 10-minute trot. Gentle running will get the blood flowing, but to avoid that heavy-legged sensation in the opening mile of the race, or the first few repetitions of your speedwork, try some dynamic flexi...

, and as you will probably be aware, healing occurs in two stages. Initially a thickened, inflexible scar join forms with nerve endings that rebel if stretched – causing pain. Only later does the scar tissue become more flexible and adapt to movement – so

more quickly and shallow.What's the cure? As with any cramp, the best treatment is to stretch the muscle. To do this, try altering your breathing pattern. Take a deep breath in from your belly (not your chest) as quickly as you can, to force

adapting to a regular (or increasing) training load. Long runs, hard sessions and races also leave your immune system dramatically lowered, so knowing what to eat, drink and do immediately after exercise is vital for staying fit and healthy too.Keep Moving

gradually, never extending mileage by more than 10 per cent weekly. Massages relax fatigued muscles: opt for deep-tissue work after a race. Cramping your style: The wrong warm-up "The membranes of muscle cells rupture under stress," says Ingham. These tears

. Putting a pad under the insole of my shoe under the ball of my foot - effectively raising the centre of the ball of the foot and spreading the toes slightly - works for me. See full threadPlantar FasciitisPlantar FasciitisStretch your calvesShell-m - A

series of stretching exercises to do, and was told to ice the tender area regularly, but nothing seemed to shift the pain – not even deep massage. I phoned my midwife to get the go-ahead to take some painkillers; at least they provided some temporary

on Mondays or any day after a holiday. Her advice is to make a weekend schedule, and stick with it. For help, line up a training partner.11. Stay involvedIt seems counter-intuitive, but keeping busy can keep you healthy. Having projects to do gives your day

my mileage and practised running above 14,000 feet, but still I'd limped home after aggravating an old Achilles injury. Today I was ready for a charmed third try. I was fit, healthy and confident of a top-10 finish. Maybe I'd even break three hours