title: Warm-ups for military fitness testing: rapid evidence assessment of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Warm-up exercises are commonly used before exercise as a method to physiologically prepare for strenuous physical activity. Various warm-up exercises are often implemented but without scientific merit and, at times, may be detrimental to performance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To date, no systematic reviews have examined the effectiveness of warm-up exercises for military physical fitness test (PFT) or combat fitness test (CFT). The purpose of this rapid evidence assessment of the literature was to examine the quantity, quality, and effectiveness of warm-up exercises for PFT and identify those that might increase PFT and/or CFT scores, as reported in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature searches of randomized controlled trials were performed across various databases from database inception to May 2011. Methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) 50 criteria for randomized controlled trial designs, and studies were individually described. Subject matter experts summarized the results applicable or generalizable to military testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The search yielded a total of 1177 citations, with 37 fitting our inclusion criteria. Cardiovascular warm-ups increased sprint/running time, but dynamic stretching and dynamic warm-ups had the most positive outcome for the various exercise tests examined. Systematically, static stretching had no beneficial or detrimental effect on exercise performance but did improve range of movement exercises.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Selected warm-up exercise may increase PFT and possibly CFT scores. Further research is needed to investigate the efficacy of dynamic stretching and dynamic warm-ups.
authors.affiliation: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799, USA. patricia.deuster@usuhs.edu
authors.forename: Stacey A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Zeno
authors.forename: Dianna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Purvis
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lisman
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Deuster
mesh_terms: D054874:Athletic Performance; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D010809:Physical Fitness; D063996:Warm-Up Exercise