Health Is stretching before sport completely meaningless?

Stretching offers no benefits in terms of the risk of injury
Proper preparation before exercise can significantly reduce the risk of injury, but many active people are obviously taking the wrong preventive measure. For example, stretching has no demonstrable preventive effect on injuries, reported sports scientists at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena.

In addition to warming up, stretching before sport is one of the preventive measures that many athletes want to use to reduce their risk of injury. In fact, with proper preparation, the risk of injury to sports can be reduced, emphasize the sports scientists at the University of Jena. However, stretching and stretching are not among the useful preventive measures.

In sports, the risk of injury can be minimized through various preventive measures, but stretching here has no demonstrable preventive effect. (Image: Andrey Popov / fotolia.com)

Prevention strategies are examined in footballers
The sports scientists have examined in a recent study, the injury prevention of footballers and compared them with the latest scientific findings on the different prevention measures. Their study results were published in the journal "PLOS ONE". Professor Dr. Astrid Zech and her colleague Kai Wellmann questioned a total of 139 professional and junior players between the ages of 13 and 35 from an association that operates at federal league level, to the chosen prevention strategies. Special focus was on the ankle injuries.

Stretching without demonstrable benefits
According to Prof. Zech, more than 91 percent of respondents said they stretched their muscles before training or the game and "they expect to prevent such injuries." However, "there is no scientific evidence to suggest that this stretching is Preventive action works. "In the end, this will even reduce jump and sprint performance. On the other hand, the so-called sensorimotor training, which likewise carries out more than half of the players, is actually advantageous. These special warm-up exercises effectively prevent injury through jump, balance and stabilization units.

Coordination problems a risk of injury
According to the researchers, the causes of injury are also misjudged by many athletes. For example, Prof. Zech reports that in her experience, for example, coordination problems of the individual player often cause ankle injuries. However, of the interviewed footballers only about seven percent would have considered them as a risk factor (in the professional field with twelve percent a little more). These injuries can be prevented by clearly defined exercises.

Causes of injury often misjudged
In particular, the injuries that occur without external intervention, could often be avoided with appropriate prevention, the scientists emphasize. However, some exercises that players perform with the conviction that they prevent injury, have no scientifically proven effect. In the assessment of the causes of injury were mainly external causes such as opponents and the external conditions (such as the space conditions) has been called. However, the players certainly also referred to intrinsic factors, ie causes of injury emanating from one's own body, such as tiredness and muscular problems or the coordination problems already mentioned.

Injury Prevention needs to be further strengthened
The current study results "have shown us that the perception of injury prevention needs to be further strengthened", emphasizes Prof. Astrid Zech. Although the footballers agree that appropriate preventive measures must be an important part of their training and also the world governing body FIFA supports and finances appropriate programs. "But players and coaches should be even better connected to current results and bring the appropriate openness and attention," the expert said. In addition, Zech hopes for more research in this area. (Fp)