STUDY DESIGN: Repeated-measures experimental design. OBJECTIVE: To examine the acute effects of different durations of passive stretching on the time course of musculotendinous stiffness (MTS) responses in the plantar flexor muscles. BACKGROUND: Stretching is often implemented prior to exercise or athletic competition, with the intent to reduce the risk of injury via decreases in MTS. METHODS AND MEASURES: Twelve subjects (mean +/- SD age, 24 +/- 3 years; stature, 169 +/- 12 cm; mass, 71 +/- 17 kg) participated in 4 randomly-ordered experimental trials: control with no stretching, 2 minutes (2min), 4 minutes (4min), and 8 minutes (8min) of passive stretching. The passive-stretching trials involved progressive repetitions of 30-second passive stretches, while the control trial involved 15 minutes of resting. MTS assessments were conducted before (prestretching), immediately after (poststretching), and at 10, 20, and 30 minutes poststretching on a Biodex System 3 isokinetic dynamometer. RESULTS:MTS decreased (P<.05) immediately after all stretching conditions (2min, 4min, and 8min). However, MTS for the 2min condition returned to baseline within 10 minutes, whereas MTS after the 4min and 8min passive-stretching conditions returned to baseline within 20 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: Practical durations of passive stretching resulted in significant decreases in MTS; however, these changes return to baseline levels within 10 to 20 minutes.
RCT Entities:
STUDY DESIGN: Repeated-measures experimental design. OBJECTIVE: To examine the acute effects of different durations of passive stretching on the time course of musculotendinous stiffness (MTS) responses in the plantar flexor muscles. BACKGROUND: Stretching is often implemented prior to exercise or athletic competition, with the intent to reduce the risk of injury via decreases in MTS. METHODS AND MEASURES: Twelve subjects (mean +/- SD age, 24 +/- 3 years; stature, 169 +/- 12 cm; mass, 71 +/- 17 kg) participated in 4 randomly-ordered experimental trials: control with no stretching, 2 minutes (2min), 4 minutes (4min), and 8 minutes (8min) of passive stretching. The passive-stretching trials involved progressive repetitions of 30-second passive stretches, while the control trial involved 15 minutes of resting. MTS assessments were conducted before (prestretching), immediately after (poststretching), and at 10, 20, and 30 minutes poststretching on a Biodex System 3 isokinetic dynamometer. RESULTS: MTS decreased (P<.05) immediately after all stretching conditions (2min, 4min, and 8min). However, MTS for the 2min condition returned to baseline within 10 minutes, whereas MTS after the 4min and 8min passive-stretching conditions returned to baseline within 20 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: Practical durations of passive stretching resulted in significant decreases in MTS; however, these changes return to baseline levels within 10 to 20 minutes.
Authors: Pablo B Costa; Eric D Ryan; Trent J Herda; Ashley A Walter; Katherine M Hoge; Joel T Cramer Journal: Eur J Appl Physiol Date: 2009-09-26 Impact factor: 3.078
Authors: Eric D Ryan; Trent J Herda; Pablo B Costa; Ashley A Walter; Katherine M Hoge; Jeffery R Stout; Joel T Cramer Journal: Eur J Appl Physiol Date: 2009-11-14 Impact factor: 3.078
Authors: Jonathan C Reid; Rebecca Greene; James D Young; Daniel D Hodgson; Anthony J Blazevich; David G Behm Journal: Eur J Appl Physiol Date: 2018-05-02 Impact factor: 3.078