Abstract
This study investigated the effects of static stretching (SS) delivered with the same load but using two protocols – high-intensity and short-duration and low-intensity and long-duration – on range of motion (ROM) and muscle stiffness. A total of 18 healthy students participated in the study. They randomly performed high-intensity and short-duration (120% and 100 s) or low-intensity and long-duration (50% and 240 s) SS. Outcomes were assessed on ROM, passive torque at dorsiflexion ROM, and shear elastic modulus of the medial gastrocnemius before and after static stretching. The results showed that ROM increased significantly at post-stretching compared to that at pre-stretching in both high-intensity and short-duration [+6.1° ± 4.6° (Δ25.7 ± 19.9%)] and low-intensity and long-duration [+3.6° ± 2.3° (Δ16.0 ± 11.8%)]. Also, the ROM was significantly higher at post-stretching in high-intensity and short-duration conditions than that in low-intensity and long-duration. The passive torque at dorsiflexion ROM was significantly increased in both high-intensity and short-duration [+5.8 ± 12.8 Nm (Δ22.9 ± 40.5%)] and low-intensity and long-duration [+2.1 ± 3.4 Nm (Δ6.9 ± 10.8%)] conditions, but no significant differences were observed between both conditions. The shear elastic modulus was significantly decreased in both high-intensity and short-duration [−8.8 ± 6.1 kPa (Δ − 38.8 ± 14.5%)] and low-intensity and long-duration [−8.0 ± 12.8 kPa (Δ − 22.2 ± 33.8%)] conditions. Moreover, the relative change in shear elastic modulus in the high-intensity and short-duration SS was significantly greater than that in low-intensity and long-duration SS. Our results suggest that a higher intensity of the static stretching should be conducted to increase ROM and decrease muscle stiffness, even for a short time.
Highlights
Static stretching (SS) increases range of motion (ROM) and decreases muscle stiffness (Morse et al, 2008; Nakamura et al, 2014) and is commonly performed in sports and rehabilitation
Passive torque at DF ROM was significantly increased from PRE to POST in both the highintensity and short-duration condition (p = 0.036, effect size (ES) = 0.55) and low-intensity and long-duration condition (p = 0.013, ES = 0.62)
The results in the current study showed that passive torque at DF ROM was significantly increased and shear elastic modulus was significantly decreased after SS at both protocols
Summary
Static stretching (SS) increases range of motion (ROM) and decreases muscle stiffness (Morse et al, 2008; Nakamura et al, 2014) and is commonly performed in sports and rehabilitation. Many researchers have investigated the effectiveness of various methods of SS on ROM and muscle stiffness. Previous research reported that a longer stretching duration was more effective in changing ROM and muscle stiffness (Matsuo et al, 2013) and that high-intensity (120% intensity) SS had greater effects on ROM and muscle stiffness (Kataura et al, 2017). It is assumed that higherintensity or longer-duration SS could be more effective in increasing ROM and decreasing muscle stiffness. There are no previous studies that have investigated the effect of both different stretching intensities and durations on ROM or muscle stiffness
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