Stretching Techniques to Improve Flexibility in Special Olympics Athletes and Their Coaches

Objective/Context: To examine the effects of static and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching in Special Olympics athletes and their coaches on sit-and-reach performance. Design/Participants: Repeated-measures ANOVA with Scheffe post hoc analyses on 2 groups: Special Olympics athletes (n = 18, mean age = 15.7) and their coaches without mental retardation (n = 44, mean age = 22.2). Intervention/Outcome Measures: Stretching performance was measured in centimeters using a sit-and-reach flexibility box, examining 2 series of 3 stretches. For both groups, the first set of 3 stretches was performed in the following order: baseline, static, PNF. Three to 4 weeks later, the order of the stretches was reversed: baseline, PNF, static. Results: PNF stretching improved performance regardless of stretching order after baseline and static measures. Static stretching improved performance only from baseline. Conclusions: Individuals of various ages and cognitive abilities can apparently perform and b...