Effects of Stretching on Fatigue and Concentration in High School Students

Kim, Jung Soon; Lee, Soon Ae; Kim, Myoung Soo

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study was conducted to test whether stretching helps high school students recover from fatigue and improve concentration. METHOD: The design was a nonequivalent control group with pre-test and post-test design. Data collection was done during November and December, 2004. Female students high school (second year) were randomly selected from two high schools in Ulsan: one school as the control group (n=66) and the other school as the experimental group (n=69), for a total of 135 students. The experimental group had 10 minutes of stretching before the start of their fifth period class, five times a week (once a day) for a 4 week period, the control group did not. The instrument used to measure fatigue was Subjective Symptoms of Fatigue Test and concentration, Concentration Test.
RESULTS
After stretching, the students' level of fatigue in the experiment group was immensely reduced (t=4.75, p<.001). After the stretching, the concentration level of the experimental group increased vastly compared to the control group (t=3.35, p< or =.05).
CONCLUSION
Stretching is useful to reduce fatigue and improve concentration in high school students. This study recommended that stretching, which is not limited by high physical techniques, or specific time or spaces, would help high school students' health, since they do not exercise regularly and are tired physically and mentally.