TITLE:
Study of Stretching Practices before and after Exercise among Amateurs Team Sport Coaches in Burkina Faso
AUTHORS:
Adama Tiama, André Kaboré, Salfo Ilboudo, Salif Yaro, Amidou Sawadogo, Abdoul Rahamane Cissé, Nobila Valentin Yaméogo
KEYWORDS:
Dynamic Stretching, Static Stretching, Team Sport Coaches, Burkina Faso
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Physical Education,
Vol.16 No.4,
October
30,
2026
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Stretching is an essential exercise modality in sports practice, and current scientific guidelines recommend dynamic and static stretching before and after exertion, respectively, to derive their benefits. Objective: The study aimed to compare the stretching practices of Burkinabe coaches with scientific findings and to identify associated factors. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted using a questionnaire administered to 217 Burkinabe coaches of amateur team sports. Results: The results showed that during the warm-up the number of coaches using dynamic stretching was statistically higher than the number using static stretching (59.4% vs. 40.6%; p = 0.045). After exertion, the percentage of coaches using static stretching was higher (85.3% vs. 4.1%; p = 0.016). The practice of dynamic stretching before exertion was associated with the number of years of coaching experience (p = 0.047), qualification level (p = 0.036), and the sport coached (p = 0.028). Conclusion: The results indicated that the stretching practices employed during warm-ups by the majority of the coaches surveyed align with current recommendations. During the cool-down phase, the majority of coaches also use static stretching, even though scientific evidence regarding the benefits of this practice is not well established. The practice of dynamic stretching before exertion was associated with the number of years of coaching experience, qualification level and the sport coached.