374 Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2003, 17(2), 374–378  2003 National Strength & Conditioning Association Adding Weights to Stretching Exercise Increases Passive Range of Motion for Healthy Elderly ANN MARIE SWANK, 1 DANIEL C. FUNK, 2 MICHAEL P. DURHAM, 1 AND SHERRI ROBERTS 3 1 Exercise Physiology Lab, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292; 2 Sport Management Program, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712; 3 Baptist East Hospital, Cardiac Rehabilitation Department, Louisville, Kentucky 40292. ABSTRACT Stretching exercise is effective for increasing joint range of motion (ROM). However, the Surgeon General’s Report and the American College of Sports Medicine cite a lack of stud- ies identifying strategies capable of increasing the effective- ness of stretching exercise. This investigation evaluated add- ing modest weight (0.45–1.35 kg) to a stretching exercise rou- tine (Body Recall [BR]) on joint ROM. Forty-three subjects ages 55–83 years participated in 1 of 2 training groups, BR, BR with weights (BR+W), or a control group (C). ROM was evaluated at the neck, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle before and after 10 weeks of exercise. Using ANCOVA, significant differences (p  0.01) were observed for right and left cer- vical rotation, hip extension, ankle dorsiflexion, ankle plantar flexion, and shoulder flexion. Post hoc analysis revealed that cervical rotation (left and right), hip extension, and ankle dorsiflexion for BR+W subjects differed significantly from BR and C (p  0.01). Significant differences with shoulder flexion and ankle plantar flexion were found for both BR and BR+W in comparison to C (p  0.01). Results indicate that addition of weights enhanced the effectiveness of stretching exercise for increasing joint ROM with 4 of the 6 selected measurements. Thus, a modest intensity exercise program that is within the reach of most elderly may significantly affect joint ROM and flexibility. Key Words: aging, flexibility, independence, activities of daily living Reference Data: Swank, A.M., D.C. Funk, M.P. Dur- ham, and S. Roberts. Adding weights to stretching ex- ercise increases passive range of motion for healthy elderly. J. Strength Cond. Res. 17(2):374–378. 2003. Introduction R ange of motion (ROM) decreases with increasing age, a decline related to the aging process itself, trauma from mechanical stress, disuse, and diseases such as arthritis (7, 12, 18). Stretching exercise is an effective means of increasing ROM for older adults (4, 6, 10, 13, 16). However, both the Surgeon General’s Report and the American College of Sports Medicine acknowledge a lack of studies evaluating exercise and ROM (11, 19). Specifically, there is a need to identify strategies capable of enhancing the effectiveness of stretching exercise on ROM, especially for the elderly, for whom adequate ROM is important for performance of activities of daily living and maintenance of an in- dependent lifestyle (11, 19). Raab et al. (16) postulated that adding modest hand and ankle resistance may increase the effective- ness of stretching exercise on joint ROM. The authors compared ROM responses for a weighted group to both a nonexercising control group and an exercise group without weights. Both exercise groups increased joint ROM relative to the control group; however, ad- dition of weights provided no additional benefit. To decrease potential for injury, weighted stretching ex- ercises used by Raab et al. (16) were not performed through a full ROM. The authors concluded that this exercise modification was a plausible reason for lack of a positive effect with weights on ROM (16). The current investigation evaluated adding modest hand and ankle weights to stretching exercise on ROM, with an emphasis that exercises were performed through full ROM. The exercise program used in this investigation was Body Recall (BR), (5) a program de- veloped at Berea College, Owensboro, KY, by Dorothy Chrisman, Ph.D. This low-intensity program empha- sizes pain-free, smooth, rhythmic movement for the purpose of maintaining, enhancing, and restoring strength and flexibility. In addition, BR classes provide knowledge and motivation for lifetime fitness in a manner that is within the reach of most elderly indi- viduals. The sequence of class activities begins with maneuvers such as slow ankle circles and progresses to more complex activities involving larger muscle groups and more physical effort. Exercises are per- formed in sitting, standing, and lying positions (5).