Effect of a one-session-per-week physical education-based stretching program on hamstring extensibility in schoolchildren

Abstract

Abstract:The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a one-session-per-week stretching program on hamstring extensibility among schoolchildren in the physical education (PE) setting. Thirty seven 9-year-old schoolchildren from two classes were clustered and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=19) or a control group (n=18). During PE classes, the experimental students performed a 3-minute stretching program once a week throughout academic year (a total of 32 calendar weeks, but 28 weeks of intervention after excluding holidays). Hamstring extensibility (estimated by the classic sit-and-reach test) was assessed at the beginning (week 0), in the middle (week 18) and at the end (week 34) of the stretching intervention program. The results of the two-way analysis of variance showed that the PE-based stretching program improved statistically significantly the students' sit-and-reach scores in the middle and at the end of the intervention (p<.01). Since in PE many curricular contents need to be developed each academic year and the subject is also restricted by its limited curriculum time allocation, teachers could improve students' hamstring extensibility by only a one-session-per-week stretching program. Therefore, in addition to the improvement of students' flexibility levels, this intervention program might permit regular development of other PE curricular contents. This knowledge could help and guide teachers to design programs that guarantee a feasible and effective development of flexibility in the PE setting.

Effect of a physical education-based dynamic stretching program on hamstring extensibility in female high-school students

“…Since static stretching technique has been mainly recommended for schoolchildren, up-to-date studies carried out with schoolchildren have used static stretching techniques to improve children's flexibility (e.g. Mayorga-Vega, et al, 2014b;Merino-Marban, et al, 2015;Sanchez Rivas, et al, 2014). The practice of dynamic stretching techniques has been avoided in work with young people because of a greater potential risk of muscle injury (Behm, et al, 2008;Faigenbaum, et al, 2009).…”

“…Regrettably, as far as we know research studies examining the effect of flexibility detraining are really scarce and contradictory (Cipriani, Terry, Haines, Tabibnia, & Lyssanova, 2012;Rancour, Holmes, & Cipriani, 2009;Willy, Kyle, Moore, & Chleboun, 2001), especially among school-age children Merino-Marban, et al, 2015). While several previous studies showed that, after a shortterm stretching program, individuals' flexibility levels reverted to their baseline after 4-5 weeks of detraining Willy, et al, 2001), other research studies found that individuals retained significant gains (Cipriani, et al, 2012;Mayorga-Vega, et al, 2014b;Rancour, et al, 2009). PE teachers must also face other planning-related problems when intending to develop students' flexibility levels .…”

Efficacy of hamstring stretching programs in schoolchildren. A systematic review

“…However, some authors have gone further and have wondered how long they can retain these gains after a program of several weeks [26,35,36]. Current scientific information about the flexibility detraining is really scarce and contradictory [37,38,39], especially among school age children [35,36,26].…”

“…Current scientific information about the flexibility detraining is really scarce and contradictory [37,38,39], especially among school age children [35,36,26]. Previous studies that carried out a PEbased stretching program observed statistically significant lost of hamstring extensibility after five weeks of detraining [35,36,26]. Although MayorgaVega et al [36] (2014d) observed that schoolchildren retained significant gains, most of previous studies also found that children' flexibility levels decreased to baseline [35,26].…”

“…Previous studies that carried out a PEbased stretching program observed statistically significant lost of hamstring extensibility after five weeks of detraining [35,36,26]. Although MayorgaVega et al [36] (2014d) observed that schoolchildren retained significant gains, most of previous studies also found that children' flexibility levels decreased to baseline [35,26]. Therefore, as after five weeks of flexibility detraining the effect of the stretching program has completely vanished, PE teachers should continue training students' flexibility after a shorter detraining period in order to maintain the gains obtained in the previous semesters.…”