The time course of the effects of constant-angle and constant-torque stretching on the muscle-tendon unit.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the time course of passive range of motion (PROM), passive torque (PASTQ), and musculo-tendinous stiffness (MTS) responses during constant-angle (CA) and constant-torque (CT) stretching of the leg flexors. Eleven healthy men [mean ± standard deviation (SD): age = 21.5 ± 2.3 years] performed 16 30-s bouts of CA and CT stretching of the leg flexors. PROM, PASTQ , and MTS were measured during stretches 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16. For PROM and PASTQ , there were no differences between CA and CT stretching treatments (P > 0.05); however, there were stretch-related differences (P < 0.001). PROM increased following one 30-s bout of stretching (collapsed across CA and CT stretching) with additional increases up to 8 min of stretching. PASTQ decreased following one 30-s bout of stretching (collapsed across CA and CT stretching) and continued to decrease up to 4 min of stretching. In contrast, only the CT stretching treatment resulted in changes to MTS (P < 0.001). MTS decreased after one 30-s bout of CT stretching, with subsequent decreases in MTS up to 6 min of stretching. These results suggested that CT stretching may be more appropriate than a stretch held at a constant muscle length for decreasing MTS.