To reduce sporting injuries a warmup is essential prior to exercise.

Warming up is much more important than stretching. One of the major reasons people injure themselves during exercise is muscle tightness. A brief warm up will get the blood flowing and increases your range of motion, loosening your joints.

Take the time to loosen out tight muscles by engaging the same muscles you will be using during the main workout. If you are about to embark on a run, spend the first 5 to 10 minutes having a leisurely stroll using long strides and then increase your pace gradually. The same applies on a treadmill or other exercise equipment. Start on a low setting for 5 minutes before launching into a fast pace. Starting slowly allows your heart and muscles to respond gradually to the increased demands of exercise.

Once you are finished the training session you should cool down by reducing speed and then doing some stretches. Our muscles are able to stretch further and hold longer once they have been exercised. 

Your cool down routine can also consist of yoga or meditation or a leisurely walk. 

See examples of warmup activities here.