The acute effects of dynamic and static stretching during warm-up on muscle architecture and performance in children.

This study investigates the acute effects of two common warm-up stretching protocols—dynamic stretching (DS) and static stretching (SS)—on muscle architecture and physical performance in healthy children aged around 10.6 years. Results showed that DS improved explosive strength, sprint speed, and jumping ability for up to 10 minutes post-warm-up without altering muscle architecture, making it more suitable for activities requiring power and strength. In contrast, SS enhanced flexibility and temporarily increased muscle fascicle length while decreasing pennation angle but impaired explosive performance immediately after stretching. The findings suggest that warm-up stretching in children should be selected based on the specific performance demands, with DS favored for power-related activities and SS for flexibility, noting that the effects of both types of stretching diminish within 30 minutes.