The Effect of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) and Static Stretching (SS) on Flexibility in Youth Football Players

Abstract

Background and Objective: Flexibility is an important physical attribute in football. The present study compared an eight-week Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) stretching program with an eight-week static stretching program in improving flexibility among youth football players.

Methods: An experimental two-group design was used. Sixteen youth football players from Chabab Kais were divided into an experimental group (n = 8), which performed (PNF) stretching, and a comparison group (n = 8), which performed static stretching (SS). Both programs were applied for eight weeks, for 15 minutes per training session during the final part of the main training phase. Flexibility was assessed using the Sit-and-Reach Test. Paired-samples and independent-samples t-tests were used for statistical analysis.

Results: The experimental group's flexibility mean increased from 19.37 ± 3.73 at pre-test to 26.50 ± 4.17 at post-test (t = 24.14, p < 0.001; reported Cohen's d = 1.80). The comparison group's mean increased from 19.00 ± 2.39 to 20.75 ± 2.60 (t = 10.69, p < 0.001; reported Cohen's d = 0.70). Post-test comparison showed a statistically significant difference in favor of the experimental group (26.50 ± 4.17 vs. 20.75 ± 2.60; t = 3.30, df = 14, p = 0.005; reported η² = 0.43).

Conclusion: Both (PNF) and (SS) improved the flexibility-test results, while the (PNF) program produced a greater improvement under the conditions of the present study. The findings should not be generalized beyond the studied sample and protocol without further research.