A Comparison of The Immediate Effects of Eccentric Training vs. Static Stretch On Hamstring Flexibility in High School and College Athletes
A Comparison of The Immediate Effects of Eccentric Training vs. Static Stretch On Hamstring Flexibility in High School and College Athletes
ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION
Background. A pre-event static stretching program Most experts consider aerobic conditioning,
is often used to prepare an athlete for competition. strength training, and flexibility to be the three key
Recent studies have suggested that static stretching components of a conditioning program.1-3 By
may not be an effective method for stretching the definition, flexibility is the ability of a muscle to
muscle prior to competition. lengthen and allow one joint (or more than one
joint in a series) to move through a range of
Objective. The intent of this study was to compare
motion, and the loss of flexibility is a decrease in
the immediate effect of static stretching, eccentric
the ability of a muscle to perform.4 Reduced injury
training, and no stretching/training on hamstring
risk,1-3 pain relief,5 and improved athletic perform-
flexibility in high school and college athletes.
ance6,7 are reasons provided for incorporating
flexibility training into a training program.
Methods. Seventy-five athletes, with a mean age of
Static stretching, defined as elongation of a muscle
17.22 (+/- 1.30) were randomly assigned to one of
to tolerance and sustaining the position for a length
three groups – thirty- second static stretch one
of time,6, 8 is considered the gold standard in flexi-
time, an eccentric training protocol through a full
bility training. Some authors have questioned the
range of motion, and a control group. All athletes
importance of using static stretching to help reduce
had limited hamstring flexibility, defined as a 20°
injuries and to improve athletic performance.1-3
loss of knee extension measured with the femur
Recent studies have found that static stretching is
held at 90° of hip flexion.
not an effective way to reduce injury rates,9-11 and
Results. A significant difference was indicated by may actually inhibit athletic performance.12
follow up analysis between the control group (gain Murphy13 made a compelling argument against the
= -1.08°) and both the static stretch (gain = 5.05°) use of static stretching. Although static stretching
and the eccentric training group (gain = 9.48°). In is often used as a part of preactivity preparation,
addition, the gains in the eccentric training group Murphy13 argued that the nature of static stretching
were significantly greater than the static stretch is passive and does nothing to warm a muscle;
group. further, although the hamstring muscle is the most
frequently stretched muscle, it is also the most
Discussion and Conclusion. The findings of this
commonly strained.
study reveal that one session of eccentrically train-
ing through a full range of motion improved A better option for increasing flexibility, according
hamstring flexibility better than the gains made by to Murphy,13 would be an activity that is more
a static stretch group or a control group. dynamic by nature. Murphy,13 therefore, intro-
duced what is referred to as “dynamic range of
motion.” To dynamically stretch a muscle, the
antagonist group is contracted thus allowing the
a agonist to elongate naturally in a relaxed state. The
Christus St. Michael Outpatient Rehabilitation
Texarkana, Texas dynamic nature of the activity, in theory, would
cause a warming effect in the muscle, and the mus-
Table. Mean and standard deviation scores (in degrees) for pretest, posttest,
and gain scores (in degrees) of knee flexion for each level of group.
Group
Control Static Eccentric
(n = 24) (n = 26) (n = 25)
x- SD x- SD x- SD
Pretest 31.42 9.97 31.27 8.70 33.60 9.89
Posttest 32.50 10.19 25.77 9.15 24.12 9.66
Gain -1.08 2.90 5.50 4.50 9.48 6.92
(difference)
CONCLUSION 14. Marten BJ, Robinson S, Wiegman DL, Aulick LM. Effect of
warm-up on metabolic responses to strenuous exercise.
In high school and college aged male athletes, hamstring
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1975;7:146-149.
flexibility gains made from one bout of eccentric training
15. Bandy WD, Irion JM, Briggler M. The effect of static
(as measured by hip flexion range of motion gains) were
stretch and dynamic range of motion training on the
significantly better than the gains made by a static stretch flexibility of the hamstring muscles. J Orthop Sports Phys
group and a control group. This study provides evidence Ther. 1998;27:295-300.
that when dealing with the immediate effects of stretch- 16. Nelson RT, Bandy WD. Eccentric training and static
ing, flexibility programs may actually be enhanced by stretching improve hamstring flexibility of high school
replacing static stretching with eccentric training. males. Athletic Training. 2004;39:354-358.
17. Reese NB, Bandy WD. Joint Range of Motion and Muscle
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