Abstract
The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of functional corrective training and static stretching on the quality of movement patterns and physical fitness in college students. The study was conducted with 30 male college students from a university in Guangzhou, China. The participants were randomly assigned to either the functional corrective training group (FCT, n = 15, age = 20.93 ± 0.85, BMI = 22.07 ± 2.33) or the static stretching group (SS, n = 13, age = 20.85 ± 0.86, BMI = 21.98 ± 1.80). Two participants from the SS group dropped out due to personal reasons, leaving 13 subjects in that group. Both groups underwent a 6-week training intervention, with sessions held twice a week. The FCT group participated in flexibility training, and/or static motor control training, and/or dynamic motor control training for 10-15 min. The SS group performed static stretching exercises targeting five specific muscles, with 30 s per side and two sets. The Functional Movement Screen (FMS), body composition, sit-and-reach, standing long jump, and pull-ups were assessed before and after the intervention. Differences in FMS outcomes were analyzed using two samples of the Mann-Whitney U test. Physical fitness outcomes were analyzed using a repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a 2 (group) × 2 (time) design. After 6 weeks of intervention, the FCT group showed statistically significant improvements in the hurdle step (Z = -2.449, p = 0.014), inline lunge (Z = -2.000, p = 0.046), rotary stability (Z = -2.309, p = 0.021), and composite scores (Z = -3.316, p = 0.001). Comparisons between groups indicated that BMI (FCT, ES = 0.04; SS, ES = -0.11), 30-m sprint (FCT, ES = 0.12; SS, ES = 0.28), body fat percentage (BF%) (FCT, ES = -0.25; SS, ES = -0.07), and sit-and-reach (FCT, ES = 0.17; SS, ES = 0.06) were not statistically significant in both the pre- and post-tests. The effect sizes of all physical fitness indicators were greater in the FCT group than in the SS group. The FCT, consisting of two sessions per week for 6 weeks, has been proven to be effective in improving the quality of movement patterns by improved stability and advanced movements. However, the improvements in physical fitness did not reach statistical significance. FMS and FCT are generally affordable and accessible for college students. College students have the opportunity to employ the FMS tool to assess potential injury risks and address them, thereby reducing the risk of injuries.