Ben Yamuder, MS, CSCS, USAW-1, exercise physiologist at HSS shares why to consider incorporating a post run cooldown into your routine. 

The post-run cooldown is often depicted as a non-negotiable step—one that reduces soreness, lowers injury risk, and enhances performance in your next workout.

One true benefit of the cooldown is that it can help clear lactate—a byproduct of intense exercise—from your bloodstream. Lactate accumulation can trigger an achy, burning sensation in your muscles, and though your body would eventually clear it post-exercise, a cooldown can hasten that process. That means the cooldown can help your muscles feel better in the short-term, Yamuder said.

The research doesn’t support much physiological benefit of the cooldown, and it’s “really not harmful” to skip it, Yamuder said. But if you can spare the time?

“You should do it,” Yamuder explained. “I just know, anecdotally, that I feel better after walking for 5 to 10 minutes after I do any sort of workout or run,” he said. And that’s likely due to the lactate clearance as well as the recovery mindset it helps facilitate, he explains. Plus, in today’s fast-paced, high-stress world, the cooldown can offer a chance to intentionally unwind and relax, Yamuder added—something you may not otherwise get much of.

Read the full article at run.outsideonline.com.