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Could the negative effects of static stretching in warm-up be balanced out by sport-specific exercise?

PMID 28409517 (2018): stretch, stretching — Injury risk (study note for endurance athletes).

Last updated/Feb 23, 2026, 11:13 PM

Study note • PMID 28409517

Could the negative effects of static stretching in warm-up be balanced out by sport-specific exercise?

The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness2018 • DOI 10.23736/S0022-4707.17.07101-8
Evidence C56/100
Action 2: Consider

Worth trying if it fits your goal and context.

ELI5

In plain language

BACKGROUND: Static stretching (SS) is widely used in warm-up as it is generally believed to increase mobility and reduce the risk of injury; however, SS has been shown to… (controlled study; participants).

The abstract doesn’t indicate a clear change in Injury risk under the tested conditions. Treat this as a signal, not a guarantee; confirm methods and context in the full paper.

Takeaways

What the abstract suggests

  • Study question: BACKGROUND: Static stretching (SS) is widely used in warm-up as it is generally believed to increase mobility and reduce the risk of injury; however, SS has been shown to…
  • The abstract doesn’t indicate a clear change in Injury risk under the tested conditions.
  • Population: participants.
  • Protocol cues: abstract may omit dose/timing; use the full paper to replicate accurately.

Protocol

Protocol (as reported)

  • Intervention/exposure: stretch, stretching.
  • Dose/time/duration: abstract doesn’t include enough detail; use the full paper’s methods section.
  • Outcomes: Injury risk.
  • Replication note: abstracts often omit adherence and timing; confirm details before changing training or supplementation.

Fit

Who it helps, and who should skip it

Who it helps

  • Athletes similar to the study population (participants) working on mobility.
  • Athletes who can measure Injury risk with a repeatable workout or time-trial effort.

Who should skip

  • If you have symptoms or conditions that make the intervention risky, get professional guidance.
  • If you’re near race day and can’t safely test, defer the experiment.

Methods

What the study actually did

  • Design: controlled study.
  • Population: participants.
  • Outcomes measured: Injury risk.
  • Source: PubMed PMID 28409517 (2018) — The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness.

Results excerpt

What the abstract reports

On the basis of the study results, we concluded that the negative effects of the SS on the variables were restored by the isokinetic contractions.

Note: excerpts are short; for full context, read the paper.

Limits

Limitations & bias

  • Abstract-only summaries can miss critical details (population, protocol, adherence, and context).
  • Single studies often don’t generalize to your event, history, and training load; treat results as a starting point.
  • If your context differs (elite vs recreational; cycling vs running), adjust expectations and be conservative.
  • This is performance information, not medical advice.

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Sources