The effect of stretching on muscle strength: A short review of possible causes

Abstract

There is currently a certain level of disagreement in the scientifi c community on the benefi ts to muscle performance of stretching before exercise. Studies researching this subject have observed a tendency for muscle strength to reduce as a result of acute stretching. Nevertheless, there are differences in the conclusions that these studies have drawn as to what are the true reasons for this loss in muscular erformance after stretching. The objective of this study, therefore, is to perform a review of literature indexed in PUBMED and SCIELO, of Brazilian and international periodicals and of textbooks on neuromuscular physiology in order to analyze the effect of stretching on muscle strength and the possible causes for this effect. After analyzing the relevant literature, it was be concluded that muscle stretching can indeed result in reduced muscle strength performance in individuals exercising to gain muscle strength, but that the causes of this process are still the subject of disagreement and that further studies are needed to better elucidate the issue.