Skip to main content

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

European Journal of Applied Physiology volume 117, pages 493–499 (2017)Cite this article

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.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

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

References

  • Bercoff J, Tanter M, Fink M (2004) Supersonic shear imaging: a new technique for soft tissue elasticity mapping. IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control 51:396–409

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell KS, Lakie M (1998) A cross-bridge mechanism can explain the thixotropic short-range elastic component of relaxed frog skeletal muscle. J Physiol 510:941–962

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cè E, Longo S, Rampichini S, Devoto M, Limonta E, Venturelli M, Esposito F (2015) Stretch-induced changes in tension generation process and stiffness are not accompanied by alterations in muscle architecture of the middle and distal portions of the two gastrocnemii. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 25:469–478

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eby SF, Song P, Chen S, Chen Q, Greenleaf JF, An KN (2013) Validation of shear wave elastography in skeletal muscle. J Biomech 46:2381–2387

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ema R, Wakahara T, Miyamoto N, Kanehisa H, Kawakami Y (2013) Inhomogeneous architectural changes of the quadriceps femoris induced by resistance training. Eur J Appl Physiol 113:2691–2703

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fowles JR, Sale DG, MacDougall JD (2000) Reduced strength after passive stretch of the human plantarflexors. J Appl Physiol 89:1179–1188

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freitas SR, Andrade RJ, Larcoupaille L, Mil-Homens P, Nordez A (2015) Muscle and joint responses during and after static stretching performed at different intensities. Eur J Appl Physiol 115:1263–1272

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gajdosik RL (2001) Passive extensibility of skeletal muscle: review of the literature with clinical implications. Clin Biomech (Bristol Avon) 16:87–101

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gajdosik RL, Vander Linden DW, McNair PJ, Williams AK, Riggin TJ (2005) Effects of an eight-week stretching program on the passive-elastic properties and function of the calf muscles of older women. Clin Biomech (Bristol Avon) 20:973–983

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hirata K, Kanehisa H, Miyamoto-Mikami E, Miyamoto N (2015) Evidence for intermuscle difference in slack angle in human triceps surae. J Biomech 48:1210–1213

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hirata K, Miyamoto-Mikami E, Kanehisa H, Miyamoto N (2016) Muscle-specific acute changes in passive stiffness of human triceps surae after stretching. Eur J Appl Physiol 116:911–918

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hug F, Lacourpaille L, Maïsetti O, Nordez A (2013) Slack length of gastrocnemius medialis and Achilles tendon occurs at different ankle angles. J Biomech 46:2534-2538

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kanehisa H, Ikegawa S, Tsunoda N, Fukunaga T (1994) Cross-sectional areas of fat and muscle in limbs during growth and middle age. Int J Sports Med 15:420–425

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kay AD, Blazevich AJ (2009) Moderate-duration static stretch reduces active and passive plantar flexor moment but not Achilles tendon stiffness or active muscle length. J Appl Physiol 106:1249–1256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Konrad A, Tilp M (2014) Effects of ballistic stretching training on the properties of human muscle and tendon structures. J Appl Physiol 117:29–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lacourpaille L, Nordez A, Hug F, Couturier A, Dibie C, Guilhem G (2014) Time-course effect of exercise-induced muscle damage on localized muscle mechanical properties assessed using elastography. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 211:135–146

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Magnusson SP, Simonsen EB, Aagaard P, Sorensen H, Kjaer M (1996) A mechanism for altered flexibility in human skeletal muscle. J Physiol 497:291–298

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maïsetti O, Hug F, Bouillard K, Nordez A (2012) Characterization of passive elastic properties of the human medial gastrocnemius muscle belly using supersonic shear imaging. J Biomech 45:978–984

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McHugh MP, Kremenic IJ, Fox MB, Gleim GW (1998) The role of mechanical and neural restraints to joint range of motion during passive stretch. Med Sci Sports Exerc 30:928–932

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miyamoto N, Hirata K, Kanehisa H, Yoshitake Y (2015) Validity of measurement of shear modulus by ultrasound shear wave elastography in human pennate muscle. PLoS One 10:e0124311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miyamoto N, Hirata K, Kanehisa H (2017) Effects of hamstring stretching on passive muscle stiffness vary between hip flexion and knee extension maneuvers. Scand J Med Sci Sports 27:99–106

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morse CI, Degens H, Seynnes OR, Maganaris CN, Jones DA (2008) The acute effect of stretching on the passive stiffness of the human gastrocnemius muscle tendon unit. J Physiol 586:97–106

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palmeri ML, Wang MH, Dahl JJ, Frinkley KD, Nightingale KR (2008) Quantifying hepatic shear modulus in vivo using acoustic radiation force. Ultrasound in medicine biology 34:546–558

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rassier DE, Lee EJ, Herzog W (2005) Modulation of passive force in single skeletal muscle fibres. Biol Lett 1:342–345

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sasaki K, Toyama S, Ishii N (2014) Length-force characteristics of in vivo human muscle reflected by supersonic shear imaging. J Appl Physiol 117:153–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

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

Author information

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
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hiroaki Kanehisa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Naokazu Miyamoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Naokazu Miyamoto.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Communicated by Olivier Seynnes.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

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

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

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

Keywords

  • Shear modulus
  • Slack
  • Flexibility
  • Ankle