Blog 3: Cool Down To Level Up
Part 3: Sport-Specific Cool-Downs — How to Recover Like a Pro
Welcome to the third part of our cool-down series! You know why cool-downs matter and the perfect 10-minute routine. Now let's get real about how to make this work in YOUR actual life with YOUR actual sport and YOUR actual schedule.
As your Oakville chiropractor who treats endurance athletes, I know that real life is messy. You don't always have 10 perfect minutes. Sometimes you have multiple games in one day. Sometimes you're SO tired you can barely move. Sometimes your ride is waiting and you need to GO.
Let's figure out how to cool down properly in all these real-world situations!
Sport-Specific Cool-Down Protocols:
Every sport beats up your body differently. Let's customize your cool-down for what YOUR sport demands.
Running & Track:
What Gets Worked: Legs, legs, and more legs. Plus your cardiovascular system gets hammered.
Your Priority Areas:
Hamstrings (back of thighs)—they work HARD when running
Quads (front of thighs)—especially for sprinters
Calves (back of lower legs)—they're doing a LOT
Hip flexors (front of hips)—get super tight from running
Glutes (butt)—help power every stride
Your Cool-Down:
Easy jog for 5-10 minutes (yes, more running, I know!)
Hit ALL the leg stretches from Part 2
Add extra time on whatever feels tightest
Roll your feet on a tennis ball or lacrosse ball (helps with shin splints and plantar fasciitis!)
Pro tip: The longer/harder your workout, the longer your cool-down jog. Easy run = 5 min cool-down. Hard track workout = 10 min cool-down.
Soccer, Field Hockey & Lacrosse:
What Gets Worked: Everything! Multi-directional movement, sprints, endurance, changes of direction.
Your Priority Areas:
Hip flexors and groin (SO much multi-directional movement)
Hamstrings and quads (all that running and cutting)
Calves (pushing off constantly)
Lower back (all the twisting and turning)
Your Cool-Down:
Easy jog around the field for 3-5 minutes
Walk another 2-3 minutes
EXTRA focus on hip flexor stretches and groin stretches
Don't skip the lower back and glute stretches
Include some gentle rotation for your spine
Pro tip: Add figure-4 stretches (for hips) and gentle spinal twists while lying on your back.
Basketball:
What Gets Worked: Lots of jumping, lots of stopping and starting, lots of lateral movement.
Your Priority Areas:
Ankles (all that jumping and landing!)
Calves (explosive jumping)
Quads (constant squatting and jumping)
Hip flexors (lots of running)
Shoulders (if you shoot a lot)
Your Cool-Down:
Walk around the court for 3-5 minutes
Lots of ankle circles in both directions
All the leg stretches from Part 2
Add shoulder stretches if you were shooting a lot
Gentle calf raises to pump blood out of your lower legs
Pro tip: Elevate your legs for a few minutes after stretching if possible (helps reduce swelling in ankles).
Volleyball:
What Gets Worked: Shoulders from swinging, legs from jumping, back from all the bending.
Your Priority Areas:
Shoulders (all that hitting!)
Lower back (constant bending and jumping)
Quads and calves (explosive jumping)
Hip flexors (approach jumps)
Your Cool-Down:
Light movement for 2-3 minutes (walk, light jogging)
LOTS of shoulder stretches (front, back, and overhead)
All the leg stretches (you were jumping a lot!)
Add some gentle back extensions and twists
Don't forget chest stretches (helps with posture)
Pro tip: Do some gentle shoulder circles (both directions) before stretching to help release tension.
Hockey (Ice, Floor, or Ball):
What Gets Worked: Hips and groin from the skating/movement pattern, core from the bent-over position, upper body from shooting/stick handling.
Your Priority Areas:
Hip flexors and groin (THE most important for hockey!)
Hamstrings and glutes (skating power)
Lower back (bent-over position)
Shoulders (shooting and physical play)
Neck (looking around constantly)
Your Cool-Down:
Easy skating or walking for 3-5 minutes
EXTRA time on hip flexor stretches and groin stretches
Include some gentle neck stretches and rolls
Don't skip lower back stretches
Shoulder and chest stretches
Pro tip: Add butterfly stretch (sit down, put soles of feet together, gently press knees toward ground) for groin.
Swimming:
What Gets Worked: Shoulders like crazy, core for body position, legs from kicking.
Your Priority Areas:
Shoulders (front, back, overhead—all the angles!)
Upper back (lots of pulling)
Chest (helps with posture)
Hip flexors (from streamline position)
Lower back (dolphin kick, flip turns)
Your Cool-Down:
Easy swim for 5-10 minutes (mix different strokes)
Get out and do LOTS of shoulder stretches
Big focus on chest stretches (counteract all that internal rotation)
Don't forget hip flexors and lower back
Gentle neck stretches
Pro tip: Do arm circles in the water before getting out—it's easier and feels good!
Tennis, Badminton & Racquet Sports:
What Gets Worked: One shoulder WAY more than the other, legs from all the lateral movement, core from rotation.
Your Priority Areas:
Shoulder (especially your dominant arm)
Forearm and wrist (gripping the racquet)
Hip flexors and groin (lateral movement)
Lower back (rotation and bending for low balls)
Calves (constant split-step and movement)
Your Cool-Down:
Light movement around the court for 3 minutes
EXTRA shoulder stretches on your dominant arm
Include forearm and wrist stretches
All the leg stretches, focus on groin
Gentle spinal twists for your back
Pro tip: Stretch BOTH shoulders equally even though one did more work—prevents imbalances!
Martial Arts, Wrestling & Combat Sports:
What Gets Worked: Literally everything. Full-body explosive power, grappling, ground work.
Your Priority Areas:
Neck (SO important for grappling sports!)
Shoulders and back (pulling and grappling)
Hips and groin (ground work and takedowns)
Core (constant engagement)
Everything else too, honestly!
Your Cool-Down:
Light movement for 3-5 minutes (easy grappling, shadowboxing at 30% intensity)
Gentle neck stretches (all directions—be careful!)
Full upper body stretching
Extra time on hip mobility
Maybe some light ground movement patterns
Pro tip: Go SLOW and GENTLE on neck stretches. Never force it.
Every sport has its own recovery needs. The key is knowing your body, targeting the areas that get the most work, and sticking to the basics, movement, stretching, and breathing.
In Part 4, we’ll cover how to cool down in real-life scenarios — like when you’re exhausted, short on time, or in the middle of a tournament day.
Dr. Keirstyn specializes in helping athletes of all ages in Oakville stay healthy and perform their best. Book now and come see us at our clinic!