Hartig, D. E., & Henderson, J. M. (1999). Increasing hamstring flexibility decreases lower extremity overuse injuries in military basic trainees. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 27, 173-176.

The incidence of leg injuries in two different companies of male basic military trainees was investigated. One company (N = 148) proceeded normally through training and served as the control group. Another (N = 150) followed a similar program with the addition of hamstring stretches three times per day.

Hamstring flexibility increased significantly more in the intervention group than in the control group. The number of lower-limb injuries (25), was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control (43 injuries).

Implication. A high frequency of flexibility exercises contributes to a reduction in the number of injuries involving the exercised joints and muscles.

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