Effect of Rest Duration Between Static Stretching on Passive Stiffness of Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle In Vivo

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 578-582
Author(s):  
Masatoshi Nakamura ◽  
Shigeru Sato ◽  
Ryosuke Kiyono ◽  
Nobushige Takahashi ◽  
Tomoichi Yoshida

Context: In clinical and sports settings, static stretching (SS) is usually performed to increase range of motion (ROM) and decrease passive muscle stiffness. Recently, the shear elastic modulus was measured by ultrasonic shear wave elastography as an index of muscle stiffness. Previous studies reported that the shear elastic modulus measured by ultrasound shear wave elastography decreased after SS, and the effects of SS on shear elastic modulus were likely affected by rest duration between sets of SS. Objective: To investigate the acute effects of SS with different rest durations on ROM and shear elastic modulus of gastrocnemius and to clarify whether the rest duration between sets of SS decreases the shear elastic modulus. Design: A randomized, repeated-measures experimental design. Setting: University laboratory. Participants: Sixteen healthy males volunteered to participate in the study (age 21.3 [0.8] y; height 171.8 [5.1] cm; weight 63.1 [4.5] kg). Main Outcome Measures: Each participant underwent 3 different rest interval durations during SS (ie, long rest duration: 90 s; normal rest duration: 30 s; and short rest duration: 10 s). This SS technique was repeated 10 times, thus lasting a total of 300 seconds with different rest durations in each protocol. The dorsiflexion ROM and shear elastic modulus were measured before and after SS. Results: Our results revealed that dorsiflexion ROM and shear elastic modulus were changed after 300-second SS; however, no effects of the rest duration between sets of SS were observed. Conclusions: In terms of decreasing the shear elastic modulus, clinicians and coaches should not focus on the rest duration when SS intervention is performed.

2018 ◽  
Vol 02 (05) ◽  
pp. E142-E147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masatoshi Nakamura ◽  
Ryo Hirabayashi ◽  
Shuhei Ohya ◽  
Takafumi Aoki ◽  
Daichi Suzuki ◽  
...  

AbstractThis study aimed to clarify the acute effect of static stretching (SS) with superficial cooling on dorsiflexion range of motion (DF ROM) and muscle stiffness. Sixteen healthy males participated in the cooling condition and a control condition in a random order. The DF ROM and the shear elastic modulus of medial gastrocnemius (MG) in the dominant leg were measured during passive dorsiflexion. All measurements were performed prior to (PRE) and immediately after 20 min of cooling or rested for 20 min (POST), followed by 2 min SS (POST SS). In cooling condition, DF ROM at POST and POST SS were significantly higher than that at PRE and DF ROM at POST SS was significantly higher than that at POST. In addition, the shear elastic modulus at POST was significantly higher than that at PRE and the shear elastic modulus at POST SS was significantly lower than those at PRE and POST. However, there were no significant differences in the percentage changes between PRE and POST SS between the cooling and control conditions. Our results showed that effects of SS with superficial cooling on increases in ROM and decrease in muscle stiffness were no more beneficial than those of SS alone.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 80
Author(s):  
Masatoshi Nakamura ◽  
Ryosuke Kiyono ◽  
Shigeru Sato ◽  
Kaoru Yahata ◽  
Taizan Fukaya ◽  
...  

Background: Previous studies suggest that the capacity for rapid force production of ankle plantar flexors is essential for the prevention of falls in the elderly. In healthy young adults, there were significant associations between rate of force development and muscle stiffness measured by shear wave elastography. However, there has been no study investigating the association of rate of force development with shear elastic modulus in older adults. Methods: The muscle strength and shear elastic modulus of the medial gastrocnemius muscle in both legs were measured in 17 elderly men and 10 elderly women (mean ± SD; 70.7 ± 4.1 years; 160.6 ± 8.0 cm; 58.7 ± 9.5 kg). We investigated the rate of force development of plantar flexors and shear elastic modulus of medial gastrocnemius muscle using by shear wave elastography. Results: Our results showed that there were no significant associations between normalized rate of force development and shear elastic modulus of medial gastrocnemius muscle. Conclusion: This suggests that the capacity of rapid force production could be related not to muscle stiffness of the medial gastrocnemius muscle, but to neuromuscular function in older individuals.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masatoshi Nakamura ◽  
Shigeru Sato ◽  
Yuta Murakami ◽  
Ryosuke Kiyono ◽  
Kaoru Yahata ◽  
...  

Muscle strain is one of the most frequent sports injuries, having the rectus femoris (RF) muscle as the reported preferred site of quadriceps muscle strain. The decrease muscle stiffness could be an effective RF muscle strain prevention. In recent studies, a high-intensity static stretching intervention decreased passive stiffness, though no study has investigated on the effect of the different static stretching intervention intensities on quadriceps muscle stiffness. The purpose of this study was to investigate the three different quadriceps muscle stiffness intensities (120 vs. 100 vs. 80%). Eighteen healthy, sedentary male volunteers participated in the study and randomly performed three intensities. The static stretching intervention was performed in knee flexion with 30° hip extension. Three 60-second stretching intervention with a 30-second interval were performed at each stretching intensity. We measured knee flexion range of motion and shear elastic modulus of the RF muscle used by ultrasonic shear-wave elastography before and after the static stretching intervention. Our results showed that the knee flexion range of motion was increased after 100% (p < 0.01) and 120% intensities (p < 0.01) static stretching intervention, not in 80% intensity (p = 0.853). In addition, our results showed that the shear elastic modulus of the RF muscle was decreased only after 100% intensity static stretching intervention (p < 0.01), not after 80% (p = 0.365), and 120% intensities (p = 0.743). To prevent the quadriceps muscle strain, especially the RF muscle, 100%, not 120% (high) and 80% (low), intensity stretching could be beneficial in sports setting application.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 469-476
Author(s):  
Sebastien Durand ◽  
Wassim Raffoul ◽  
Thierry Christen ◽  
Nadine Pedrazzi

Background: Ulnar nerve compression at the elbow level is the second-most common entrapment neuropathy. The aim of this study was to use shear-wave elastography for the quantification of ulnar nerve elasticity in patients after ulnar nerve decompression with anterior transposition and in the contralateral non-operative side. Method: Eleven patients with confirmed diagnosis and ulnar nerve decompression with anterior transposition were included and examinations were performed on an AixplorerTM ultrasound system (Supersonic Imagine, Aix-en-Provence, France). Results: We observed significant differences at 0-degree (p < 0.001), 45-degree (p < 0.05), 90-degree (p < 0.01) and 120-degree (p < 0.001) elbow flexion in the shear elastic modulus of the ulnar nerve in the operative and non-operative sides. There were no statistically significant differences between the elasticity values of the ulnar nerve after transposition at 0-degree elbow flexion and in the non-operative side at 120-degree elbow flexion (p = 0.39), or in the ulnar nerve after transposition at 120-degree elbow flexion and in the non-operative side at 0-degree elbow flexion (p = 0.09). Conclusion: Shear-wave elastography has the potential to be used postoperatively as a method for assessing nerve tension noninvasively by the estimation of mechanical properties, such as the shear elastic modulus.


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (06) ◽  
pp. 454-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miki Shimizu ◽  
Yu Ito

Objectives This study investigated the relationship between the change in the shear elastic modulus and the change in muscle length using ultrasound shear wave elastography. Study Design Four thigh muscles, cranial part of the sartorius, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris and semitendinosus muscles, of 21 pelvic limbs in 12 clinically healthy Beagle dogs were used. The muscle length was estimated using a radiograph and the flexed and extended positions of the coxofemoral and stifle joints, respectively. The shear elastic modulus (kPa) was measured in two joint positions using ultrasound shear wave elastography. Shear elastic modulus was expressed as median of 10 consecutive measurements. The percentage change of elastic modulus was calculated from the shear elastic modulus in elongated condition and pre-elongated condition of muscle. Results The elastic modulus of all muscles increased when the muscle was elongated. The shear elastic modulus for both joint positions and the percentage change of the shear elastic modulus (%) in cranial part of the sartorius were highest in all muscles. Intra-observer correlation coefficient (1.2) was 0.75 to 0.96 and intra-observer correlation coefficients (2.2) was 0.46 to 0.96. Conclusion This study revealed that the shear elastic modulus of muscle was changed by the change in muscle length and increased when the muscle was elongated. Ultrasound shear wave elastography can be used to assess the elastic properties of canine muscle.


2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 20180454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshihiko Sasaki ◽  
Ichiro Ogura

Objectives: To evaluate shear wave elastography in differentiating between benign and malignant cervical lymph nodes in patients with oral carcinoma. Methods: 77 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma were examined by B-mode and shear wave elastography with a 14 MHz linear transducer. The integrated shear wave elastography software allowed the operator to place regions of interest of various sizes within the elastography window, and automatically displayed shear elastic modulus data (kPa) for each region of interest. The relationship between size and shear elastic modulus of cervical lymph nodes was assessed by Pearson's rank correlation test. The shear elastic modulus of cervical lymph nodes in benign and malignant were evaluated using the Mann–Whitney U test. The analyses were used with a 5% significance level. Results: We plotted shear elastic modulus (X) against minimal axial diameter of cervical lymph nodes (Y), and observed a significant correlation [ Y = 0.091 X + 4.648 (R2 = 0.603, p = 0.000, N = 77)]. Furthermore, the shear elastic modulus of the malignant cervical lymph nodes (105.9 ± 5.2 kPa) was higher than that of benign (11.9 ± 4.4 kPa, p = 0.000). Conclusions: The shear wave elastography is an effective technique for the objectively and quantitatively diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastases of the oral carcinoma.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Zhang ◽  
Jiafeng Yu ◽  
Chunlong Liu ◽  
Chunzhi Tang ◽  
Zhijie Zhang

Background. Neck and shoulder complaints caused by poor posture may influence upper trapezius stiffness. The relationship between the shear elastic modulus of the upper trapezius and cervical flexion angles is unknown. Therefore, it is essential to assess upper trapezius stiffness during cervical flexion. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the intra- and interoperator reliabilities of evaluating upper trapezius stiffness and calculate the minimal detectable change (MDC); (2) examine the elastic modulus alterations of the upper trapezius during cervical flexion; and (3) explore the difference of upper trapezius stiffness between the dominant and nondominant sides. Methods. Twenty healthy male participants were recruited in this study. The shear modulus of the upper trapezius was evaluated by two independent investigators using shear wave elastography (SWE) during cervical flexion at 0° and 50°. Findings. The intraoperator (intraclass correlation coefficient ICC=0.85–0.86) and interoperator (ICC=0.94–0.98) reliabilities for measuring the shear elastic modulus of the upper trapezius during the cervical flexion ranged from good to excellent. An increase of 35.58% in upper trapezius stiffness was found at 0° to 50° of cervical flexion, and the MDC was 7.04 kPa. In addition, a significant difference was obtained in the elastic modulus of the upper trapezius muscle between the dominant and nondominant sides (P<0.05). Conclusions. Our findings revealed that SWE could quantify the elastic modulus of the upper trapezius and monitor its changes. Therefore, further studies are required to delineate the modulation in upper trapezius muscle stiffness among subjects with neck and shoulder pain.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taizan Fukaya ◽  
Ryosuke Kiyono ◽  
Shigeru Sato ◽  
Kaoru Yahata ◽  
Koki Yasaka ◽  
...  

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.


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