Abstract

DIAZ-SOLER, María Angeles; VAQUERO-CRISTOBAL, Raquel; ESPEJO-ANTUNEZ, Luis  and  LOPEZ-MINARRO, Pedro ángel. The effect of a warm-up protocol on the sit-and-reach test score in adolescent students. Nutr. Hosp. [online]. 2015, vol.31, n.6, pp.2618-2623. ISSN 1699-5198.  https://dx.doi.org/10.3305/nh.2015.31.6.8858.

Introduction: sit-and-reach tests are often used in physical education classes for measurement of hamstring extensibility in students, without a standar protocol to perform it. Objetive: to analyze the effect of a warm-up protocol based on locomotion activities and stretching in the sit-and-reach scores in adolescent students. Method: a total of 47 teenagers students (17 boys and 30 girls) performed the sit-and-reach test before, immediately after, and 5 and 10 minutes after completing a structured warm-up. The warm-up consisted on a part of continuous running, dynamic locomotor and mobility activities as well as static stretching of lower limbs (quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors, iliopsoas and gastrocnemius), with a total duration of 8 minutes. Between measurements after warm-up, the participants remained standing without performing any exercise and/or stretching. Results and discussion: after warm-up there was a significant improvement in the sit-and-reach score (+ 2.15 cm) (p < 0.001), being slightly higher at 5 and 10 minutes (+ 2.49 cm at 5 minutes and + 2.61 cm at 10 minutes) (p < 0.001 with respect to the pre-test). Conclusions: a warm-up protocol performed before the sit-and-reach test, comprised by locomotion, dynamic activities and stretching, improves significantly the distance achieved in this test.

Keywords : Aerobic exercise; Joint flexibility; Muscle stretching exercises; Physical education; Warm-up exercise.

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