Abstract
Purpose
A previous study observed a joint passive torque increase above baseline ~30 min after a high-intensity stretching. This study examined the effect of a high-intensity stretching on ankle dorsiflexion passive torque, medial gastrocnemius (MG) shear modulus, and plantar flexors maximal voluntary isometric force (MVIC).
Method
Participants (n = 11, age 27.2 ± 6.5 years, height 172.0 ± 10.0 cm, weight 69.5 ± 10.4 kg) underwent two stretching sessions with plantar flexors isometric contractions performed: (1) 5 min before, 1 min after, and every 10 min after stretching (MVC session); (2) 5 min before, and 60 min after the stretching (no-MVC session).
Results
In both sessions, no changes were observed for MG shear modulus (p > 0.109). In the no-MVC session, passive torque decreased 1 min after stretching (−7.5 ± 8.4 %, p = 0.015), but increased above baseline 30 min after stretching (+6.3 ± 9.3 %, p = 0.049). In the MVC session, passive torque decreased at 1 min (−10.1 ± 6.3 %, p < 0.001), 10 min (−6.3 ± 8.2 %, p = 0.03), 20 min (−8.0 ± 9.2 %, p = 0.017), and 60 min (−9.2 ± 12.4 %, p = 0.034) after the stretching, whereas the MVIC decreased at 1 min (−5.0 ± 9.3 %, p = 0.04) and 10 min (−6.7 ± 8.7 %, p = 0.02) after stretching.
Conclusion
The ankle passive torque increase 30 min following the stretch was not due to the MG shear modulus response; consequently, response may be due to changes in surrounding connective tissue mechanical properties.
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Abbreviations
- DC:
-
Dissipation coefficient
- E:
-
Area under the load curve
- ED:
-
Energy dissipated (i.e., hysteresis area)
- ER:
-
Area under the unload curve
- MVC:
-
Muscular voluntary contraction session
- MG:
-
Medial gastrocnemius
- MVIC:
-
Muscular voluntary isometric contraction
- No-MVC:
-
No muscular voluntary contraction session
- NRI:
-
Non-rest interval
- ROM:
-
Range of motion
- PNF:
-
Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching
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The authors declare no conflict of interest, and are grateful for the support of the Portuguese Scientific Foundation.
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Communicated by Olivier Seynnes.
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Freitas, S.R., Andrade, R.J., Nordez, A. et al. Acute muscle and joint mechanical responses following a high-intensity stretching protocol. Eur J Appl Physiol 116, 1519–1526 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3410-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3410-2