The Effects of Stretching on Vertical Jump Height

Abstract

By Kayla Kabrich, Athletic Training

Advisor: Thomas Palmer

Presentation ID: PM_B35

Abstract: In almost any sport, an athlete is bound to jump, for a multitude of many different reasons. Whether it be to defend another player, catch a ball, make a play, or stop a play from happening, jumping is a factor. Vertical jump testing is a functional tool used to test an athlete's ability to jump and to look at their explosiveness. According to a previous study, "jumping depends on the speed of contraction of muscles and coordination of movements." This shows that if an athlete is able to contract fast enough and have their body move together as one, they should be able to jump and jump well. The same study reports that, "muscle force of women during physical loading is less subject to fatigue than that of men." Over the course of a competition, an athlete will fatigue to some extent. But, using the population of Division I women's lacrosse players, I'll be able to see how having them stretch and then jump affects their overall performance of a vertical jump. Past research has shown that dynamic stretching can improve range of motion and therefore jump performances for up to 5 minutes. In this study, I want to compare the effects of not stretching, dynamically stretching, and statically stretching, over a 10 minute period. This information will be able to show what warming up can do for an athlete's performance, and how effective it truly can be through out the course of a practice or competition.