Does stretching before exercise help prevent injury?
Date First Published:
November 2, 2005
Last Updated:
August 11, 2009
Report by:
Michael Callaghan, Research Physiotherapist (Centre for Rehabilitation Science, MRI)
Search checked by:
Claire Suff, Centre for Rehabilitation Science, MRI
Three-Part Question:
In [adults performing sport and exercise] does [a stretching routine] reduce prior to exercise reduce[injury]?
Clinical Scenario:
A young adult who is keen on sport asks you about a suitable stretching routine for the lower limb in order to prevent injury. You are unsure which, if any, is effective and seek out the evidence.
Search Strategy:
MEDLINE 1950 to week 1 May 2009, via OVID interphase
Search Details:
{[(stretch$.mp)] AND [(exp athletic injuries OR exp leg injuries OR exp sprains and strains OR exp soft tissue injuries or injur$.mp) LIMIT to "therapy (sensitivity)" and human and English language}.<br><br>Searches also conducted in CINAHL, AMED, SPORTDiscus, EMBASE, via the OVID interface, the Cochrane database and PEDro.
Outcome:
The Medline search produced 341 studies. Several studies of varying quality were identified; however, a 2008 systematic review conducted a thorough search for all studies comparing stretch before exercise with a control. The review is detailed in the table
Relevant Paper(s):
| Study Title | Patient Group | Study type (level of evidence) | Outcomes | Key results | Study Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A systematic review into the efficacy of static stretching as part of a warm-up for the prevention of exercise-related injury. Small K, Mc Naughton L, Matthews M. 2008, UK | 3532 Soldiers + 421 recreational runners + 298 army trainees + 195 college football players + five school football teams, (number unknown) in seven studies. Subjects allocated to static stretching before exercise and control groups 1992–2003. | Systematic review | Rate of injury causing absence from training or competition | No significant difference in six of seven studies between stretch and control groupsOne study (298 army trainees, scoring 45/100 for methodology) found a significant difference (p = 0.02) | Well conducted reviewConsiderable heterogeneity between studiesExercise undertaken by soldiers may differ from that by an athlete in training |
Author Commentary:
The studies detailed above vary considerably in design, subjects and exercise.
Bottom Line:
Stretching before exercise will not reduce the risk of injury.
References:
- Small K, Mc Naughton L, Matthews M.. A systematic review into the efficacy of static stretching as part of a warm-up for the prevention of exercise-related injury.