Stretching the truth

FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2000

Stretching before exercise does not lower the risk of injury, according to Australian research.

Army physiotherapist Rodney Pope led a team of researchers at the University of Sydney and Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, assigning 1538 male army recruits to a 12-week training program, some stretching before exercise, others not.

The study, published in the American College of Sports Medicine Journal, February 2000, recorded the resulting injuries under three risk group categories: all-injuries risk, soft-tissue injury risk and bone injury risk. The stretch group performed one supervised stretch per six major leg muscle groups.

The study found:

there were 158 injuries in the stretch group and 175 in the non-stretch group;
there was no significant effect on all-injuries risk, soft-tissue injury risk, or bone injury risk;
fitness, age and enlistment date all significantly predicted injury risk;
height, weight and body mass index did not significantly predict injury risk.