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The Relationship Between Lower-Body Flexibility and Running Performance in a Half Marathon Downhill Running Event
Logan Petty1, Marcus M Lawrence1
1Department of Kinesiology and Outdoor Recreation, Southern Utah University, Cedar City, UT, USA.
International Journal of Exercise Science
|February 7, 2025
Summary
Lower body flexibility correlates with running performance in recreational runners during downhill races. This relationship was significant overall but not when analyzed by sex, which showed performance differences.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Exercise Physiology
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Previous research links running performance and flexibility in flat terrain.
- Limited data exists on flexibility's role in downhill running performance, especially across sexes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between lower body flexibility and running performance in male and female recreational distance runners during a downhill half marathon.
- To identify potential sex-based differences in this relationship.
Main Methods:
- Recreational runners (11 male, 19 female) participated.
- Sit-and-reach flexibility was measured pre-race.
- Race times were recorded, and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated.
Main Results:
- A significant correlation (r=0.42, p=0.01) was found between flexibility and performance across all runners.
- This correlation was not significant when analyzed separately for males (r=0.53, p=0.10) or females (r=0.32, p=0.19).
- Significant sex differences were observed in race times, but not in flexibility.
Conclusions:
- Lower body flexibility is an important factor in running performance.
- The predictive ability of flexibility on downhill running performance may differ between sexes in recreational runners.
