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Acute effect of static stretching on passive stiffness of the human gastrocnemius fascicle measured by ultrasound shear wave elastography

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European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Passive muscle stiffness and muscle architecture at a given joint angle, as well as slack angle of the muscle have been shown to change after an acute bout of stretching. However, it remains unclear whether passive muscle stiffness at a given fascicle length is reduced after stretching. We aimed to elucidate the acute effect of static stretching on the passive fascicle stiffness using ultrasound shear wave elastography.

Methods

Shear modulus, fascicle length, and slack angle of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) as well as passive plantar flexion torque during passive dorsiflexion were measured before and after a 5-min static stretching in 14 healthy males.

Results

After stretching, passive torques were significantly reduced at >50% of range of motion (ROM). Shear modulus at a given fascicle length was significantly reduced at >80% of the change in fascicle length during passive dorsiflexion. Slack angle of MG was observed at the middle part of ROM and significantly shifted toward more dorsiflexed position after stretching.

Conclusion

The present study showed the significant effectiveness of static stretching on the passive fascicle stiffness. Furthermore, the present results suggest that both the shift in slack angle and the reduction in passive fascicle stiffness contribute to produce the change in passive torque-joint angle relationship during passive dorsiflexion. Notably, the contribution of the reduced passive fascicle stiffness to the decrease in passive torque is substantial over the latter part of ROM.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

EMG:

Electromyography

MG:

Medial gastrocnemius

MVC:

Maximal voluntary contraction

ROI:

Region of interest

ROM:

Range of motion

SWE:

Shear wave elastography

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 15K12646.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya, 1 Shiromizu, Kanoya, Kagoshima, 891-2311, Japan

    Kosuke Hirata, Hiroaki Kanehisa & Naokazu Miyamoto

Authors
  1. Kosuke Hirata
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  2. Hiroaki Kanehisa
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  3. Naokazu Miyamoto
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Naokazu Miyamoto.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Communicated by Olivier Seynnes.

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Hirata, K., Kanehisa, H. & Miyamoto, N. Acute effect of static stretching on passive stiffness of the human gastrocnemius fascicle measured by ultrasound shear wave elastography. Eur J Appl Physiol 117, 493–499 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3550-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3550-z

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