Honors College Theses

Publication Date

3-25-2021

Major

Exercise Science (B.S.)

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Daniel Czech

Abstract

With widespread use of pre-exercise stretching methods in many sports, recent studies have questioned how effective these implications are (Kay, Blazevich 2012, Cramer, J. T., et al.2005, Curry, B. S., Chengkalath, D., Crouch, G. J., Romance, M., & Manns, P. J. 2009). It has been found that certain types of stretching before performance negatively impact muscle power production. However, the reasoning behind why stretching is doing harm to athletes’ performances is still unanswered. The purpose of this study is to explore how stretching affects proprioception, and how this in turn affects muscle power production. Using the Biodex 2 dynamometer, passive and active repositioning was used to determine each participant’s proprioception in the ankle joint. The accuracy of proprioception was dependent on stretching before and after testing. A Stretching Group (n=7) statically stretched by placing the right foot on an incline board and maximally dorsiflex the ankle joint while keeping the bottom of their foot flush with the board’s surface and the knee fully extended. The Control Group (n=5) remained seated for the same amount of time. Straight leg vertical jumps before and after the stretch determine that the stretch created a loss of power in the jump. Results in the p value between the stretching and control group were not significant (p>0.05). However, effect size between these are significant, mostly falling into medium magnitude. This study provides the explanation that altered joint proprioception due to stretching has an effect of muscle power production.

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