Acute Effects of Static Stretching on Peak Torque and Mean Power Output in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Women's Basketball Players

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of static stretching on peak torque (PT) and mean power output (MP) during maximal, voluntary concentric isokinetic leg extensions at 60 and 300 degrees .s(-1) in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Women's Basketball players. Eleven members of a women's basketball team volunteered to perform maximal concentric isokinetic leg extensions at 60 and 300 degrees .s(-1) on a calibrated Biodex System 3 dynamometer. After the initial isokinetic testing, the dominant leg extensors were stretched using 1 unassisted and 3 assisted static stretching exercises. The poststretching isokinetic assessments were repeated at 5, 15, 30, and 45 minutes after the static stretching (post-5, post-15, post-30, and post-45). PT (N.m) and MP (W) were recorded by dynamometer software. The results indicated no stretching-related changes in PT (p = 0.161) or MP (p = 0.088) from pre- to poststretching for any of the testing intervals (post-5, post-15, post-30, and post-45). These findings indicated that the static stretching had no impact on PT or MP during maximal, voluntary concentric isokinetic muscle actions in collegiate women's basketball players. In conjunction with previous studies, these findings suggested that trained athletes may be less susceptible to the stretching-induced force deficit than untrained, nonathletes.