Effects of stretching exercise on walking performance and balance in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

This systematic review aimed to analyse the literature on the effects of stretching exercise as a strategy to improve walking performance and balance in older adults. A literature search was performed in five databases up to October 2023 for randomized clinical trials addressing the effects of stretching exercise programs in older adults. The methodological quality was evaluated through the PEDro scale. A total of 29 studies were included. Methodological quality was good in 16 publications and fair in 13 investigations. Improvements on balance and walking ability following stretching programs were reported in different studies. The meta-analysis pooling 139 participants from 6 studies showed that stretching interventions increased gait speed in comparison with control groups that were not assigned to any exercise programs (standardized mean difference=0.56; 95 % confidence interval: 0.21, 0.90; I-squared = 0 %, p=0.520). These findings indicate potential benefits of stretching exercises to enhance walking ability in older adult population.

Keywords: Ageing; Flexibility training; Frailty; Physical activity; Training.