EFFECTS OF STATIC STRETCHING AND PASSIVE STRETCHING WITH ASSISTANCE ON FLEXIBILITY IN HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PLAYERS
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of static stretching and passive stretching on flexibility in high school basketball players following a six-week training program. The participants were 26 male basketball players aged 16–18 years from a secondary school in Udon Thani Province, Thailand. Participants were purposively selected and assigned into two groups: a static stretching group (n = 13) and a passive stretching group assisted by a partner (n = 13).
Flexibility was assessed using the sit-and-reach test to evaluate hamstring and lower back flexibility and the back extension test to assess trunk flexibility. Both groups participated in supervised stretching sessions three times per week for six weeks, with each session lasting approximately 45 minutes. Paired samples t-tests were used to analyze within-group changes, and independent samples t-tests were used to compare post-test differences between groups. Statistical significance was set at p < .05.
The results showed that both static stretching and passive stretching significantly improved flexibility within groups after the intervention (p < .001). However, between-group comparisons revealed that the passive stretching group demonstrated significantly greater improvements than the static stretching group in both sit-and-reach and back extension performance (p < .001).
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