Chronic Effects of Static Stretching Exercises on Muscle Strength and Power in Healthy Individuals Across the Lifespan: A Systematic Review with Multi-level Meta-analysis.
Read full paper →- Authors
- Arntz F, Markov A, Behm DG, Behrens M, Negra Y, Nakamura M, Moran J, Chaabene H
- Journal
- Sports Med
- Year
- 2023
- Citations
- 78
TL;DR
Regular static stretching (SS) can lead to small but meaningful improvements in muscle strength and power, especially if you're sedentary or older, and provides substantial gains in flexibility, making it a valuable addition to a personal fitness routine.
What they tested
This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the long-term (chronic) effects of static stretching (SS) exercises on several physical attributes.
The **intervention** was chronic static stretching. Static stretching involves moving a joint to its end range of motion and holding that position for a specific duration. The review considered two main types:
**Active Static Stretching:** Where you contract the muscles opposite to those being stretched (