Acute effect of short-duration static stretching exercises on dynamic balance in U-14 female athletes

Purpose: The acute effects of static stretching (SS) on dynamic balance, a key fitness component that contributes to injury prevention, has been a subject of significant debate. This study aimed to investigate the acute effect of short-duration SS exercises on dynamic balance following different recovery durations in youth female volleyball players. Methods: Thirteen volunteers U-14 female players were included. Eight random assessments were carried-out on separate days. They consisted of 2D-kinematic analysis of frontal and/or sagittal balance of the center of mass (COM) displacement, velocity, and acceleration on wobble board conducted without SS, immediately after and following 2 and 10 minutes of SS. Results: Repeated-measures ANOVA showed a significant difference between conditions in the velocity (p = 0.002 to 0.049; d = 0.844 to 2.200) and the acceleration (p = 0.014 to 0.021; d = 1.532 to 1.657) of the COM in both frontal and sagittal planes sway. Post-hoc analysis revealed decreased COM velocity (p = 0.001 to 0.030; d = 2.501 to 6.750) and acceleration (p = 0.001 to 0.030; d = 2.501 to 6.750) in the frontal plane, regardless of the recovery time. The most prominent decrease in both parameters was observed immediately after SS (p = 0.001 to 0.013; d = 2.907 to 6.750). However, in the sagittal balance, we observed an immediate increase in COM acceleration following SS (p < 0.001; d = 4.223). Conclusion: Short-duration SS leads to improved dynamic balance, particularly on the frontal plane, with the most favorable effect observed immediately after stretching. Practically speaking, short-duration SS appears to be an effective exercise modality for inducing acute enhancements in dynamic balance among youth female volleyball players.