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NEWS RELEASE

March 3, 2004
For immediate release

Contact:
Christa Dickey
cdickey@acsm.org

VARIETY OF PREPARTICIPATION ACTIVITIES, NOT JUST STRETCHING,
RECOMMENDED TO PREVENT INJURIES IN SPORTS
Research indicates stretching alone before and after exercise is not enough to prevent injury

INDIANAPOLIS – Preparation for sports or exercise should involve a variety of activities and should not be limited to stretching alone, according to a report published in the March 2004 issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise®, the official scientific journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Researchers examined decades of scientific evidence and caution that stretching alone may not be enough to prevent injuries.

“The use of stretching primarily as a way to prevent sports injury has been based on intuition and observation rather than scientific evidence,” said lead researcher Stephen B. Thacker, M.D. “The best advice is to include a combination of warm-up, strength training, plyometrics and balance exercises to lessen injury risks.”

The research team reviewed more than 350 scientific studies and articles that examined the relationship between stretching and injuries over the past four decades. While the evidence does show that stretching is important in increasing muscle and joint flexibility, in most cases researchers found little-to-no relationship between stretching and injuries or postexercise pain.

“Most injuries occur during muscle contractions within the normal range of joint motion anyway,” said Thacker, “so it’s unclear how increasing the range of motion through stretching would decrease injury risk.” In addition, Thacker and his team point to some evidence that stretching just prior to an athletic event may actually compromise performance in elite athletes.

“We are not suggesting that athletes discontinue flexibility training and stretching altogether,” Thacker continued, “but that athletes, coaches, trainers and others look critically at preparticipation and training routines to ensure they include all the activities which, when combined, can enhance safety and performance. This might include activities such as proper warm-up or strength, plyometric and balance training.”

The research team concludes that, while there is currently insufficient evidence to endorse or discontinue routine stretching to prevent injury, future research should be performed to examine the role of stretching in injury prevention for both recreational and competitive athletes. Studies are needed to determine the optimal timing (pre- or postexercise) and any optimal levels of flexibility of specific muscle groups for each sport or activity.

The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 20,000 International, National, and Regional members are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine.

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NOTE: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise® is the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, and is available from Lippincott Williams & Wilkins at 1-800-638-6423. For a complete copy of the research paper (Vol. 36, No. 3, pages 371-378 or to speak with a leading sports medicine expert on the topic, contact the Department of Communications and Public Information at 317-637-9200 ext. 127 or 117. Visit ACSM online at www.acsm.org.

The conclusions outlined in this news release are those of the researchers only, and should not be construed as an official statement of the American College of Sports Medicine.