Effects of an Acute Bout of Static and Dynamic Stretching on Balance Performance in Older Adults

Objectives: Acute static stretching has been scrutinized as being detrimental to physical performance when incorporated as a pre-activity warm-up. Alternatively, it has been reported elsewhere that dynamic performance related movements may be more appropriate as a warm-up. Very little research has been done on the effects of acute bouts of static or dynamic stretching on balance performance. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to examine the effects of acute bouts of static stretching and dynamic stretching on balance performance in older adults. Methods: Participants in this study included 10 males and 10 females, aged 66.1±8.1 (mean±SD) all age 50 or older, who were participating in a regular physical activity program at the time of testing and had varying amounts of exposure to balance training. Each participant underwent a static stretch, dynamic stretch, and no stretch protocol followed by a balance assessment using the Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (FABS). Results: Analysis of variance showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in cumulative FABS scores between pre-exercise static stretching (34.0±2.9), dynamic stretching (34.1±2.6) and no-stretching groups (33.7±2.1). Additionally, Friedman Tests completed for each individual balance challenge revealed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in the individual scores. Conclusion: No differences in balance performance (as evidenced by FABS scores) were found between experimental treatments. These findings suggest that when designing exercise programs for older adults the sequencing of flexibility exercise prior to balance exercise will not compromise balance performance