The Argument Against Static Stretching Before Sport and Physical Activity

KEY POINTS JTreexercise static stretching has been used by coaches and athletes for decades in the hope of improving performance and preventing injuries. The scientific literature of the 1980s and 1990s suggested that preexercise static stretching was a good addition to athletes' warm-up before initiation of physical activity.''^ This article reviews the current literature and provides information to propose a valid argument against the widely held belief that slow static stretching before sport and physical activity is beneficial. Static stretching has been used as a warm-up activity for decades, without any credible research to support its benefits for performance or injury prevention.