The effects of warm-up on physical performance are not clear

Background: Warm-up is commonly used as part of an exercise programme. Previous reviews have cast doubts on the beneficial effects long thought to be associated with warm-up.1 2 However, recent evidence indicates that warm-up prevents sports-related injuries.3,–,5 Warm-up in the form of stretching has a small effect in reducing muscle soreness following exercise3 and leads to an increase in joint range of motion, but magnitude of the increase is small. Thus, it has an uncertain clinical importance.6 7 In addition to preventing muscle soreness and injury, another possible benefit of warm-up is enhanced physical performance. Only one previous review has examined the effects of warm-up on performance,2 but found limited evidence. Hence, the effects of warm-up on performance during sport or physical activity are not clear. Aim: The aim of the systematic review was to investigate the effects of warm-up on performance of physical activity.