Effects of Stretching on Creatine Kinase (CK) Level: A Systematic Literature Review

Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) commonly occurs following strenuous or unaccustomed exercise, particularly eccentric exercise, and may result in delayed-onset muscle soreness, reduced muscle strength, stiffness, and impaired physical performance. Creatine kinase (CK) is widely used as an indirect biomarker of EIMD. This systematic literature review aimed to evaluate the effects of stretching on CK levels following EIMD. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane, and ScienceDirect from database inception to August 2026. Eligible studies included human randomized controlled trials or comparative experimental studies evaluating stretching, reporting CK levels, and including a control or comparative group. Of 202 records identified, 11 duplicates were removed. Following screening and full-text assessment, six studies were included. All six studies evaluated static stretching. Three studies reported lower CK levels at specific post-exercise time points compared with passive or no-intervention controls, although these findings were not consistently supported by overall group-by-time analyses. High-intensity stretching showed an unfavorable CK response, while static stretching was less effective than active recovery and cold-water immersion. No significant difference was observed between static stretching and foam rolling. Overall, stretching, particularly static stretching, did not consistently reduce CK levels following EIMD. The available evidence is limited by small sample sizes and heterogeneity in stretching protocols, exercise stimuli, and CK measurement methods. Therefore, static stretching cannot currently be considered a reliable strategy for reducing CK following EIMD.