Biomechanical Assessment of Yoga-Based Warm-Up Routines in Reducing Injury Risk among Runners

Abstract

Runners, whether they’re training for fun or competitions, tend to suffer from musculoskeletal injuries mainly because they do not warm up their bodies properly before starting their run. People are often taught to stretch and jump before exercise, but this doesn’t include practicing neuromuscular coordination, joint stability and sensory skills—all vital for preventing injuries. In this research, we investigate the effects of using yoga-based warm-up routines along with basic or separate from traditional exercises. In the experiment, 40 healthy runners aged 20 to 35 were randomly assigned to do yoga-based stretches or conventional dynamic stretches as their warm-up. Each participant spent four weeks taking part in the intervention, running 20 minutes after working out on a treadmill for 30 minutes. Both before and after the intervention, participants underwent a 3D kinematic gait analysis, measured vGRFs using kinetics, assessed their quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteal muscle patterns with EMG and had their flexibility and range of motion (ROM) tested. Joint mobility increased in the yoga group more than in the control and they activated their gluteus medius and hamstring muscles earlier and saved 44% more energy than the control group during foot strike. In comparison to the control session, the yoga group showed much better posture positioning during the stance portion of a run. The changes in biomechanics help by decreasing the load on the body and improving muscle control which make it easier to prevent typical injures such as patellofemoral pain, iliotibial band pain or Achilles tendon pain. We conclude that preparation warm-ups with yoga help runners avoid potential injuries and perform better.