Using Daily Stretching to Counteract Performance Decreases as a Result of Reduced Physical Activity : A Controlled Trial

ORCID
0000-0003-4964-2867
Affiliation
Institute for Exercise, Sport and Health, Leuphana University, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany
Warneke, Konstantin;
ORCID
0000-0002-5588-1824
Affiliation
School of Human Kinetics and Recreation, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, Canada
Konrad, Andreas;
ORCID
0000-0002-1817-1743
Affiliation
Department of Sport Science, German University of Health & Sport, 10587 Ismaning, Germany
Keiner, Michael;
GND
133235114
ORCID
0000-0001-7147-4113
Affiliation
Department of Human Motion Science and Exercise Physiology, Friedrich Schiller University
Zech, Astrid;
ORCID
0000-0002-8184-1121
Affiliation
Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Nishi Kyushu University, Ozaki, Kanzaki, Saga 842-8585, Japan
Nakamura, Masatoshi;
Affiliation
University Sports Centre, University of Oldenburg, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Hillebrecht, Martin;
ORCID
0000-0002-9406-6056
Affiliation
School of Human Kinetics and Recreation, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, Canada
Behm, David G.

There are many reasons for reduced physical activity leading to reduced maximal strength and sport-specific performance, such as jumping performance. These include pandemic lockdowns, serious injury, or prolonged sitting in daily work life. Consequently, such circumstances can contribute to increased morbidity and reduced physical performance. Therefore, a demand for space-saving and home-based training routines to counteract decreases in physical performance is suggested in the literature. This study aimed to investigate the possibility of using daily static stretching using a stretching board to counteract inactivity-related decreases in performance. Thirty-five (35) participants were either allocated to an intervention group (IG), performing a daily ten-minute stretch training combined with reduced physical activity or a reduced physical activity-only group (rPA). The effects on maximal voluntary contraction, range of motion using the knee-to-wall test, countermovement jump height (CMJ height ), squat jump height (SJ height ), drop jump height (DJ height ), contact time (DJ ct ) and the reactive strength index (DJ RSI ) were evaluated using a pre-test-post-test design. The rPA group reported reduced physical activity because of lockdown. Results showed significant decreases in flexibility and jump performance (d = −0.11–−0.36, p = 0.004–0.046) within the six weeks intervention period with the rPA group. In contrast, the IG showed significant increases in MVC90 (d = 0.3, p < 0.001) and ROM (d = 0.44, p < 0.001) with significant improvements in SJ height (d = 0.14, p = 0.002), while no change was measured for CMJ height and DJ performance. Hence, 10 min of daily stretching seems to be sufficient to counteract inactivity-related performance decreases in young and healthy participants.

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