How should you warm up before sport? The science of injury-reducing warm-ups

Short answer

A good warm-up is not "a few minutes of jogging and a few stretches." The strongest evidence is for structured neuromuscular warm-up programs (such as FIFA 11+, common in football): targeting balance, strength, jump-landing technique, and trunk control, these programs markedly reduce injuries when performed regularly (about a one-third to one-half reduction in overall injuries in studies).

Two practical principles: (1) Avoid prolonged static stretching in the warm-up (holding a muscle stretched for more than 60 seconds) — it can cause a momentary loss of power; prefer a dynamic warm-up (in motion) instead. (2) The protective effect was shown in studies with regular and adequate application; a program performed only occasionally largely loses this effect.

What does the evidence say?

That structured warm-up programs reduce injuries has been shown by high-quality studies:

FIFA 11+ (young female footballers): In a large randomized trial covering about 1,900 players, the comprehensive warm-up program reduced overall injuries, severe injuries, and overuse injuries.
FIFA 11+ (male collegiate footballers): In a randomized trial it reduced the injury rate by about 46% and reduced time lost to injury.
Meta-analyses: About a 30–46% reduction in overall and lower-extremity injuries; a reduction in ankle and head-neck injuries as well.

Mechanism: these programs improve the muscles' protective reflex, trunk-hip stability, eccentric strength, and leg alignment during landing/change of direction.

The four phases of a warm-up (a simple framework)

Heat up: Body temperature and circulation rise with low-intensity aerobic movement (light jogging, marching in place).
Activate: Dynamic movements working the target muscles (walking lunges, leg swings).
Mobilize: Dynamic flexibility mimicking your sport's range of motion.
Accelerate: Sport-specific, progressively intensifying explosive movements (short accelerations, jumping, change of direction).

The FIFA 11+ program itself is built on exactly this logic: light jogging → strength/balance/jumping → sport-specific running.

Static stretching: not forbidden, but at the right dose

Prolonged static stretching (holding a muscle stretched for more than 60 seconds), when tested in isolation, can cause a short-term loss of power.
Short static stretching (≤60 seconds), and especially when it is part of a dynamic warm-up, loses this effect; a small benefit may even be seen.
For explosive performance (jumping, sprinting), dynamic stretching/warm-up is better.

Conclusion: you don't have to abandon stretching altogether; in the warm-up it is enough to avoid prolonged static stretching and prioritize dynamic work. If you want to work on flexibility, you can leave prolonged static stretching for after training.

For whom, and how much?

The strongest evidence is in young and adolescent team-sport athletes; but the principle can be adapted to any activity involving change of direction, jumping, and running.
FIFA 11+ requires no equipment, takes about 20 minutes, and is ideally done at every training session (at least 2–3 times per week).
The benefit is dose-dependent: high compliance gives a marked reduction; with irregular application the effect weakens.

For clinicians

The most consistent limitation of the evidence is heterogeneity of compliance; the problem is not "the program doesn't work" but "it isn't done at a sufficient dose." For ACL specifically, the independent effect is weaker/more heterogeneous compared with overall injury. The harmful effect of static stretching is exaggerated in popular discourse; the evidence is dose-dependent (>60 s, isolated condition). The effect is maximal when the program is embedded in the team routine and supervised.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if I start sport without warming up?

The warm-up prepares the muscles and joints for the incoming load; skipping it can increase injury risk and reduce performance, especially in explosive and change-of-direction sports. A structured warm-up both protects and supports performance.

Should I stretch during the warm-up?

Avoid prolonged static stretching (holding a position for a long time) in the warm-up; it can cause a momentary loss of power. Instead, do a dynamic warm-up in motion. For flexibility, you can leave long stretches for after training.

What is FIFA 11+, and is it only for footballers?

FIFA 11+ is a structured, equipment-free warm-up program of about 20 minutes consisting of running, strength, balance, and jumping components. Although developed for football, the principles it contains can be adapted to other sports involving change of direction and jumping.

How often should I do it?

The benefit depends on regularity. The ideal is to do it at every training session (at least 2–3 times per week); a warm-up done only occasionally largely loses its protective effect.

Does a warm-up prevent injury completely?

No — no program can prevent all injuries. But structured neuromuscular warm-up, when done regularly, is one of the best-evidenced prevention methods that markedly reduces injury risk.

Scientific references

Soligard T et al. Comprehensive warm-up programme to prevent injuries in young female footballers: cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2008;337:a2469.
Silvers-Granelli H et al. Efficacy of the FIFA 11+ injury prevention program in the collegiate male soccer player. Am J Sports Med 2015;43(11):2628-37.
Thorborg K et al. Effect of specific exercise-based football injury prevention programmes on the overall injury rate: systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med 2017;51:562-71.
Chaabene H, Behm DG, Negra Y, Granacher U. Acute effects of static stretching on muscle strength and power: an attempt to clarify previous caveats. Front Physiol 2019;10:1468.
Own content: Preventing sports injuries and safe return to sport

This information is for general guidance only; it does not replace an examination, a diagnosis, or your physician's individual advice. Please consult a physician for your symptoms. About the author: Doç. Dr. Oğuz Yüksel — Academic Profile.