Journal of Physiotherapy & Physical Rehabilitation

Flexibility is inversely Correlated with Body Mass Index in Overweight Recreational Runners

Abstract

Raquel Rodrigues dos Santos, Jo�?£o Claudio Cunha, Maxwell Patroc�?­nio Menezes, Ana Gabriella Pereira Alves, Marcelo Henrique Silva, Rafael Ribeiro Alves, Naiany Pereira Silva, Vitor Alves Marques

Background: Flexibility is a skill of great importance to prevent the occurrence of muscle damage, and it constantly needs to be improved so that its benefits extend throughout life. Individuals with a higher body mass index (BMI) have a lower level of flexibility than those with normal weight or underweight. Objective: To correlate the flexibility with BMI of eutrophic and overweight recreational runners. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 35 Brazilian recreational runners (22 women and 13 men), aged 34.65 ± 9.47 years. The period of running training data was obtained from a specific questionnaire. The body mass and height were measured to calculate BMI. Flexibility was assessed by the sit and reach test using a Wells Bench. Results: Most participants were recreational runners for less than one year (68.6%, n = 24) and had a BMI classified as overweight (57.1%, n=20). There was no difference in the classification and value of flexibility and the period of running training between eutrophic and overweight subjects (p ≥ 0.05). Among overweight participants, an inversely correlation was found between BMI and flexibility (p = 0.047). Conclusion: Overweight recreational runners need to reduce their BMI to improve their flexibility.