ASC Home
>
Sports Coach >
Research > Theory to practice - Passive stretching before sprinting may impede performance
Theory to practice - Passive stretching before sprinting may impede performance
Issue: Volume 28 Number 3
Background
Passive stretching prior to any form of competitive sport has traditionally always been done to both prevent injuries and improve performance. While little research evidence supports the injury prevention belief, recent laboratory-based research has consistently questioned whether stretching before sprint exercise is of any performance benefit, or in fact may hinder sprint performance. A recent US study sought to establish whether the negative effects of prior passive stretching commonly seen in laboratory settings would also be seen in a performance setting.
Research
Sixteen members (11 males, five females) of a Division I NCAA track athletics team performed electronically timed 20-metre sprints with and without prior passive stretching of the legs. The experiment was done as part of each athlete’s Monday training session. Four different stretching methods were used, with each protocol completed on a different day over four weeks. The four stretching protocols were no-stretch of either leg, both legs stretched, forward leg in the starting position stretched and rear leg in the starting position stretched. Three of the most common stretching exercises for legs (hamstring stretch, quadriceps stretch, calf stretch) were used for the both legs stretched, forward leg in the starting position stretched and rear leg in the starting position stretched protocols. Each stretching exercise was performed four times, and each time the stretch was maintained for 30 seconds. The time between passive stretching and the 20-metre sprints was 5–10 minutes.
Findings
The both legs stretched, forward leg in the starting position stretched and rear leg in the starting position stretched protocols induced a statistically significant (P < 0.05) increase (~ 0.04 s) in the 20-metre time, suggesting that pre-event stretching might negatively impact the performance of high-power, short-term exercise such as a 20-metre sprint.
Coaches’ takeout
The results of this study suggest that passive stretching too close to an all-out effort might slow performance. This recommendation opposes the general perception that passive stretching before training and competing is always recommended. The researchers of the study pointed out that the athletes in the study were very uneasy at the start of each of the no-stretch sprints. Thus, the negative impact of physiological/mechanical impacts of stretching must be greater than any negative psychological feelings in the no-stretch condition. It might also be suggested that passive stretching be done as part of the warm-up but well in advance of the actual all-out effort. Thus, a warm-up might start with a general warm-up (for example, a jog), followed by passive stretching, then, closer to the event, more dynamic and sport-specific activity that replicates the actions and speeds of the event.
Reference
Nelson, AG, Driscoll, NM, Landin, DK, Young, MA and Schexnayder , IC 2005, ‘ Acute effects of passive muscle stretching on sprint performance’, Journal of Sports Sciences, 23(5), pp. 449–55.
