Stretch (Physiology)

The purpose of the study was to determine and compare the
effects of different durations of stretching on balance. Female subjects
(n=23) had their balance assessed before and after two stretching
interventions and a control condition on three separate days, at least 48
hours apart. The quadriceps, hamstrings, and plantar flexors were
stretched after a warm-up and repeated three times. In one stretching
protocol, the positions were maintained for 45 seconds, while in the other
stretching protocol, the positions were held for 15 seconds. The 15-
second condition produced a significant improvement in the OSI scores (p
< 0.05). However, repeated measures ANOVA revealed no significant
differences between groups (p = 0.08). These results suggest a stretching
protocol with 45-second hold durations does not adversely affect postural
stability when using the current stabilometry testing procedure.

Active-isolated (AI = 11) stretching was compared to static stretching (SS = 8), proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching (PNF = 10), and a control group (C = 9) at improving hamstring flexibility. Pre- and post-assessments of flexibility were performed with a goniometer on the right leg. All subjects performed a warm-up on an ergometer; after which, subjects in the stretching groups performed mode-specific stretching of both hamstrings 4 days per week for 4 weeks. A significant increase was found in flexibility after training for all stretching groups (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in flexibility between groups (ANOVA: p > 0.05). It is possible the small number of subjects may have contributed to this finding.