Compare the effect of static and dynamic stretching on hamstring muscle flexibility and on agility performance in tennis players

Abstract

Hamstring strains are one of the most common and recurrent injuries in the sporting world. Lack of hamstring flexibility was the single most important characteristic of hamstring injuries in athletes. Research indicated that flexibility measurements in tennis players were significantly lower in sit and reach compared with non-tennis athlete. Hamstring stretching may be considered as an intervention in both prevention and treatment of hamstring strains. Also hamstring muscles play a significant role in agility function in tennis players. This interventional study was conducted to assess and compare the effect of static and dynamic stretching on hamstring muscle flexibility and on agility performance in tennis players. Sixty healthy tennis players were assessed for the inclusion and exclusion criteria and randomly divided into 2 groups. Group A received static stretching and Group B received dynamic stretching for 3 times a week for 6 weeks. Pre-intervention and post intervention evaluation was done by 4 outcome measures- Modified Sit and Reach Test, Active knee extension, Shuttle run test and Tennis specific agility test for both the groups. The result showed statistically significant improvement in hamstring muscle flexibility in both groups but dynamic stretching is more effective than static stretching. Dynamic stretching showed significant improvement in agility performance but static stretching did not show any positive or negative effect on agility performance.