Comparison of ballistic and static stretching on hamstring muscle length using an equal stretching dose
Two articles on PainSci cite Covert 2010: 1. Quite a Stretch 2. The Complete Guide to Low Back Pain
PainSci notes on Covert 2010:
This was a comparison of static versus “ballistic” (bouncing) stretching for the hamstrings, showing trivial superiority of static stretching — so trivial that they were basically identical.
original abstract †Abstracts here may not perfectly match originals, for a variety of technical and practical reasons. Some abstacts are truncated for my purposes here, if they are particularly long-winded and unhelpful. I occasionally add clarifying notes. And I make some minor corrections.
The purpose of this investigation was to determine which stretching technique, static or ballistic, is most effective for increasing hamstring muscle length when delivered at the same stretching dose over a 4-week training program. A single-blind, randomized controlled trial design was used in this investigation. Thirty-two participants (16 women and 16 men) between the ages of 18 and 27 years participated in the study. All participants who had a pre-training knee extension angle of less than 20° were excluded from the study. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of 3 groups: ballistic stretching, static stretching, or control group. Participants in the experimental stretching groups (ballistic and static stretching) performed one 30-second stretch 3 times per week for a period of 4 weeks. Statistical analysis consisted of a 2-way analysis of variance (group × sex) with an a priori alpha level of 0.05. No interaction between group and sex was identified (p = 0.4217). The main effect of sex was not statistically significant (p = 0.2099). The main effect for group was statistically significant at p < 0.0001. Post hoc analysis revealed that both static and ballistic stretching group produced greater increases in hamstring length than the control group. The static stretching group demonstrated a statistically greater increase in hamstring muscle length than the ballistic stretching group. No injuries or complications were attributed to either stretching program.
related content
- “Extensibility of the hamstrings is best explained by mechanical components of muscle contraction, not behavioral measures in individuals with chronic low back pain,” Marshall et al, PM & R: The Journal of Injury, Function, and Rehabilitation, 2009.
- “A randomized controlled trial for the effect of passive stretching on measures of hamstring extensibility, passive stiffness, strength, and stretch tolerance,” Marshall et al, Journal of Science & Medicine in Sport, 2011.
- “Influence of static stretching on hamstring flexibility in healthy young adults: Systematic review and meta-analysis,” Medeiros et al, Physiother Theory Pract, 2016.
- “The effect of time and frequency of static stretching on flexibility of the hamstring muscles,” Bandy et al, Physical Therapy, 1997.
- “The Effectiveness of PNF Versus Static Stretching on Increasing Hip-Flexion Range of Motion,” Lempke et al, Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, 2018.
- “The Impact of a Single Stretching Session on Running Performance and Running Economy: A Scoping Review,” Konrad et al, Front Physiol, 2020.
This page is part of the PainScience BIBLIOGRAPHY, which contains plain language summaries of thousands of scientific papers & others sources. It’s like a highly specialized blog. A few highlights:
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