The Effects of Static and Dynamic Stretching Exercises' Order on Some Physical Fitness Factors in Elementary School Children

Background: Stretching exercises, in static and dynamic states, are used at the beginning of any sport activity in schools. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the order of static and dynamic stretching on some physical fitness factors in children. Materials and Methods: This study was semi-experimental with repeated measures design. 30 participants were selected from female students studying in the fourth grade of elementary school in Miyaneh city, Iran, with cluster sampling. Subjects performed 3 stretching protocols (without stretching, dynamic after static stretching, and static after dynamic stretching) and dependent variables including reaction time, agility, power, speed and flexibility were measured before and after these protocols. In static stretching, stretch was maintained for 15 sec and in dynamic stretching, 5 repetitions of stretch (each repetition 15 sec) in 3 sets, with 10-sec rests between them, were performed. ANOVA with repeated measures and Bonferroni post hoc test were used to compare the effects of the 3 stretching protocols on the dependent variables. Results: The mean and standard deviations of the subjects' age in this study was 10.18 +/- 0.8 years. Both dynamic after static and static after dynamic stretching had significant effects on reaction time (p=0.001), and flexibility (p=0.008 and p=0.003 respectively), but they didn't show any significant effect on agility, power and speed (p=1.000). Moreover, the order of stretches had no significant effect on measured factors (p>0.05). Conclusions: Both stretching protocols improve reaction time and flexibility in children, but do not influence their agility, power and speed. Changing the order of performing of static and dynamic stretching does not make any change in the records of reaction time, agility, power, flexibility and speed.