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

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of a dynamic stretching development program followed by a four-week detraining period and maintenance program on hamstring extensibility in a physical education setting. A sample of 108 female high-school students aged 16-17 years from four classes were clustered randomly and assigned to either an experimental or a control group. During physical education sessions, the experimental group students performed a dynamic stretching program twice a week for eight weeks. Subsequently, after a four-week period of detraining, the experimental group students completed a maintenance program twice a week during four weeks. The results of the two-way analysis of variance showed that the physical education-based development program significantly improved students’ hamstring extensibility (p<.001). Although after four weeks of detraining students’ flexibility reverted to its baseline levels (p>.05), the gains obtained previously were recovered after a four-week maintenance program (p<.001). Hence, a physical education-based dynamic stretching intervention is effective in improving and maintaining hamstring extensibility among female high-school students. However, after four weeks of detraining, students’ flexibility reverts to its baseline levels. These findings could help and guide teachers to design programs that guarantee a feasible and an effective development of flexibility in a physical education setting.