Time-based Effects of Stretching on Hamstrings Muscle Strength

Time-based Effects of Stretching on Hamstrings Muscle Strength

Stretching is reported to have detrimental effects on strength and thus avoided prior to strength training session. Do stretching indeed decreases muscle strength? To examine the time course (immediate, 10- and 20-min post stretching) for the effects of 2, 4, and 8 min long duration of static-stretching (SS) on isometric maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) force of hamstring muscles.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the time course (immediate, 10- and 20-min post stretching) for the effects of 2, 4, and 8 min long duration of static-stretching (SS) on isometric maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) force of hamstring muscles.

METHODS: Pretest-posttest experimental design. Total of 14 subjects with mean age 25 years participated in three experimental trials on three different days. On day-I for static-stretching for 2 minutes (SS2), day-II for 4 minutes (SS4), and day-III for 8 minutes (SS8). Testing was conducted before (pre), immediately after (post), and at 10 and 20 min post stretching. MVCF was measured using strain gauze as the main outcome measure.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Subjects used to engage in 1 to 5 hours of physical activity per week. They were not doing stretching exercises regularly.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Subjects having any current injury specific to lower limb joints or current neuromuscular disease were excluded from the study.