Basketball is a vigorous, fast-paced sport. You must sprint and stop short often as you dart and feint with the ball. Jumping high, landing hard and other strenuous movements tax muscles, ligaments and tendons. Warming up and stretching before you play basketball reduces the risk of injury, though there is no way to guarantee you won't get hurt.
Function
Perform a light warmup before stretching to loosen your muscles and joints. For example, do jumping jacks, jog in place while lifting your knees high or run backward for short distances. When your heart rate is slightly elevated and your muscles feel less stiff, begin stretching. The goal of your stretching routine should be to relax your muscles and loosen stiff joints. Stretch gently; if you stretch too vigorously, you risk fatiguing your muscles early. It's also important not to rush, so give yourself plenty of time before a game to prepare your body. Hold the stretches for 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on how stiff you feel.
Types
Typical stretches include rolling your head forward slowly in a semicircle, performing circles with your arms, rotating your arms so that your shoulders experience a full range of movement, bringing your knees slowly to your chest while you lay on your back, touching your toes, performing gentle calf stretches and slowly bending your knees to stretch your hamstrings. Talk to your doctor, a personal trainer or a qualified basketball coach about designing an effective warmup and stretching routine.
Be Comprehensive
Stretch your whole body, not just certain sections; otherwise you risk injuries to whatever areas you neglect. For example, don't spend most of your time stretching your lower body and then perform a few quick upper-body stretches right before you begin playing. Pay special attention to the lower back, knees, calf muscles, shoulders, hamstrings, hips and groin.
Post-Workout Stretching
After you finish playing, take a few minutes to allow your body to cool down properly. Stretching after you play basketball enhances your recovery while allowing your body to return to a resting state. After you finish a vigorous game, cool down your muscles and joints by performing gentle stretches. Use the same movements you did earlier, and focus on relaxing your fatigued muscles.
