Kokkonen, J., Nelson, A. G., Marcello, B., & Driscoll, N. (2007). Stretching one leg increases the range of motion of the contralateral unstretched leg. ACSM Annual Meeting New Orleans, Presentation Number, 2044.

This study was designed to determine if passive static stretch of one leg would alter the range of motion of the contralateral unstretched leg. College students (N = 39) performed a one leg sit-and-reach test before and after four thirty-second bouts of right hamstring stretch held at the limit of toleration. The left leg was also tested before and after stretching of the right hamstring. After one week, Ss returned and repeated the right and left one leg sit-and-reach tests before and after stretching the right leg.

Right hamstring stretching significantly increased the sit-and reach scores for both the right and left leg.

Implication. Stretching one leg can increase the range of motion of the contralateral unstretched leg. This has particular relevance to injury recovery on one limb.

Return to Table of Contents for this issue.