scholarly journals The acute time course of muscle and tendon tissue changes following one minute of static stretching

Author(s):  
Andreas Konrad ◽  
Markus Tilp

The purpose of this study was to investigate the time course of the changes of various muscle and tendon mechanical properties and the function responses of the plantar flexor muscles following 1 min of static stretching.Twenty-five healthy volunteers were assigned into a static stretching group or a control group. The static stretching group was tested with three different rest times (0 min,20 min,40 min) after 2x30s of stretching. Controls were tested before and after a control period (10 min) without stretching. Dorsiflexion range of motion (RoM), passive resistive torque (PRT), and maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) were measured with a dynamometer. Ultrasonography of the medial gastrocnemius (GM) muscle-tendon junction (MTJ) displacement allowed us to determine the length changes in the tendon and muscle, respectively, and hence to calculate their stiffness.Following the stretching, we observed a significant increase in RoM directly following the stretching, 20 min post-stretching, and 40 min post-stretching. However, no changes were found in other functional parameters (PRT, MVC) or structural parameters (muscle and tendon stiffness). No changes were detected in any variable in the control group.We conclude that a static stretching exercise of 2x30s increases the RoM for at least 40 min. However, this gain in RoM is not accompanied with more compliant muscle and/or tendon tissue, suggesting that 60s of static stretching might not be stimulus enough to induce changes in the muscle-tendon structure. Hence, we speculate that other factors, such as increased stretch tolerance, might be responsible for the changes in the RoM observed in the present study.

2001 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 520-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keitaro Kubo ◽  
Hiroaki Kanehisa ◽  
Yasuo Kawakami ◽  
Tetsuo Fukunaga

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of static stretching on the viscoelastic properties of human tendon structures in vivo. Seven male subjects performed static stretching in which the ankle was passively flexed to 35° of dorsiflexion and remained stationary for 10 min. Before and after the stretching, the elongation of the tendon and aponeurosis of medial gastrocnemius muscle (MG) was directly measured by ultrasonography while the subjects performed ramp isometric plantar flexion up to the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), followed by a ramp relaxation. The relationship between the estimated muscle force (Fm) of MG and tendon elongation ( L) during the ascending phase was fitted to a linear regression, the slope of which was defined as stiffness of the tendon structures. The percentage of the area within the Fm- L loop to the area beneath the curve during the ascending phase was calculated as an index representing hysteresis. Stretching produced no significant change in MVC but significantly decreased stiffness and hysteresis from 22.9 ± 5.8 to 20.6 ± 4.6 N/mm and from 20.6 ± 8.8 to 13.5 ± 7.6%, respectively. The present results suggest that stretching decreased the viscosity of tendon structures but increased the elasticity.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nayara Soares da Silva ◽  
Marcelo Palinkas ◽  
Evandro Marianetti Fioco ◽  
Edson Donizetti Verri ◽  
Saulo César Vallin Fabrin ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: CrossFit is a regular high-intensity physical conditioning exercise for skeletal striated muscles, which promotes functional changes in the human body. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of CrossFit exercise on the electromyographic activity of the masseter and temporalis muscles. Methods: Forty participants were divided into two groups: athletes who practiced CrossFit (n=20) and controls who did not practice sports (n=20). The electromyographic activities of the masseter and temporalis muscles were measured using mandibular tasks at rest, protrusion, right laterality, left laterality, and dental clenching in maximum voluntary contraction and habitual chewing of peanuts and raisins. Both the groups were matched for age, sex, and body mass index. The data were analyzed using the t-test with a 5% significance level. Results: Reduced electromyographic activities were found in all mandibular tasks in the CrossFit group than in the control group, with a significant difference for the right masseter (p=0.01), left masseter (p=0.001), and left temporal muscles (p=0.001) at mandibular rest; right (p=0.001) and left (p=0.001) masseter in chewing of peanuts. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that CrossFit promotes positive changes in electromyographic activity of the masticatory muscles, especially in the mandibular rest and chewing of hard food. CrossFit exercise practiced within the appropriate technical protocols improves masticatory muscle function.


1983 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 1457-1462 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. R. Muza ◽  
L. Y. Lee ◽  
R. L. Wiley ◽  
S. McDonald ◽  
F. W. Zechman

Previous research indicates that fatiguing static exercise causes hyperventilation and a decrease of end-tidal CO2 partial pressure PETCO2. The objectives of this study were 1) to examine the changes in pattern of breathing during static exercise, and 2) to define the isocapnic ventilatory response. Six healthy males were studied once a week at one of three levels of static handgrip exercise: 15, 25, or 30% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) was sustained for 5 min while holding PETCO2 constant or allowing it to run free. During 25 and 30% MVC, we observed 1) progressive increases in mean tidal volume (VT), inspiratory ventilation (VI), VT/TI, heart rate (HR), and arterial BP, 2) increased breath-to-breath variability of VT, 3) no significant changes in respiratory frequency (f), and 4) progressive decreases in PETCO2. Keeping PETCO2 constant at preexercise levels did not change the pattern or magnitude of the ventilatory response to exercise. The time course and magnitude of the subjects' perceived effort resembled the time course and magnitude of the ventilatory response. The variability of VT during the response to static exercise suggests an element of control instability. The identical ventilatory responses during hypocapnic and isocapnic conditions may result from the slow response of the central chemoreceptors; an overriding influence of muscle afferents; and/or increased central command arising with fatigue.


2001 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 262-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
David G. Behm ◽  
Duane C. Button ◽  
Jeremy C. Butt

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors underlying the force loss occurring after prolonged, static, passive stretching. Subjects were tested before and 5-10 min following 20 min of static, passive stretching of the quadriceps (N = 12) or a similar period of no stretch (control, N = 6). Measurements included isometric maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force, surface integrated electromyographic (iEMG) activity of the quadriceps and hamstrings, evoked contractile properties (twitch and tetanic force), and quadriceps inactivation as measured by the interpolated twitch technique (ITT). Following stretching, there was a significant 12% decrement in MVC with no significant changes in the control group. Muscle inactivation as measured by the ITT and iEMG increased by 2.8% and 20.2%, respectively. While twitch forces significantly decreased 11.7%, there was no change in tetanic force post-stretch. Although possible increases in muscle compliance affected twitch force, a lack of tetanic force change would suggest that post-stretch force decrements are more affected by muscle inactivation than changes in muscle elasticity. Key Words: antagonist, electromyography, maximum voluntary contraction, muscle activation, twitch, tetanus


Medicina ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 44 (10) ◽  
pp. 782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albertas Skurvydas ◽  
Nerijus Masiulis ◽  
Aleksas Stanislovaitis ◽  
Sigitas Kamandulis

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that contractility of quadriceps femoris muscle during a 15-min period after a sustained maximum voluntary contraction for 1 min is determined by the interaction of posttetanic potentiation, metabolic fatigue, and nonmetabolic fatigue. Eleven healthy untrained men (age, 22.9±1.8 years; body weight, 77.5±5.2 kg) performed isometric 1-min maximum voluntary contraction at long (90° in knee joint) and short (135° in knee joint) muscle length at two different occasions. Contractility of quadriceps femoris muscle was monitored via the evoked contractions at 1, 10, 20, and 50 Hz and maximum voluntary contraction at short and long muscle length on both occasions. Force generating capacity was reduced immediately after 1-min maximum voluntary contraction at short and long muscle length, and then a bi-modal time-course of recovery was observed which consisted of (1) rapid recovery of all measured indexes at 3 min and (2) divergence in the changes of forces at low and high stimulation frequencies, as well as maximal voluntary contraction force at 7 and 15 min after exercising. The decline in force immediately after 1-min isometric load was caused by metabolic and nonmetabolic fatigue; however, factors related to the metabolic fatigue were prevalent. As the effect of metabolic fatigue was diminishing and posttetanic potentiation was still present, force generation capacity recovered at 3 minutes after exercising. Further dynamics of contractility can be explained by the fading influence of posttetanic potentiation and dominant effect of nonmetabolic fatigue.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. e020984 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrée-Anne Marchand ◽  
Mariève Houle ◽  
Marie-Pier Girard ◽  
Marie-Ève Hébert ◽  
Martin Descarreaux

AimTo further the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying tension-type headache (TTH) by comparing the endurance and strength of neck extensor muscles under acute muscle fatigue in participants with TTH and asymptomatic participants.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional analysis of neck extensor muscle performance. Asymptomatic participants and participants with TTH were recruited via social media platforms and from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières community and employees. A total of 44 participants with TTH and 40 asymptomatic participants took part in an isometric neck extensor endurance task performed at 60% of their maximum voluntary contraction. Inclusion criteria for the headache group were to be older than 18 years old and to fulfil the International Headache Society classification’s criteria for either frequent episodic or chronic TTH. Clinical (self-efficacy, anxiety, neck disability and kinesiophobia) and physical parameters (neck extensors maximum voluntary contraction, endurance time, muscle fatigue) as well as characteristics of headache episodes (intensity, frequency and associated disability) were collected for all participants. Surface electromyography was used to document upper trapezius, splenius capitis and sternocleidomastoids muscle activity and muscle fatigue.ResultsBoth groups displayed similar neck extensor muscle endurance capacity with a mean difference of 6.2 s (p>0.05) in favour of the control group (control=68.1±32.3; TTH=61.9±20.1). Similarly, participants in the headache group showed comparable neck extensor muscle strength (95.9±30.4 N) to the control group (111.3±38.7 N). Among participants with TTH, those scoring as severely incapacitated by headaches were the ones with higher neck-related disability (F[1,44]=10.77; p=0.002), the more frequent headache episodes (F[1,44]=6.70; p=0.01) and higher maximum headache intensity (F[1,44]=10.81; p=0.002).ConclusionA fatigue task consisting of isometric neck extension cannot efficiently differentiate participants with TTH from asymptomatic participants.


GeroScience ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Iain Quinlan ◽  
Martino Vladimiro Franchi ◽  
Nima Gharahdaghi ◽  
Francesca Badiali ◽  
Susan Francis ◽  
...  

AbstractResistance exercise training (RET) is well-known to counteract negative age-related changes in both muscle and tendon tissue. Traditional RET consists of both concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC) contractions; nevertheless, isolated ECC contractions are metabolically less demanding and, thus, may be more suitable for older populations. However, whether submaximal (60% 1RM) CON or ECC contractions differ in their effectiveness is relatively unknown. Further, whether the time course of muscle and tendon adaptations differs to the above is also unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to establish the time course of muscle and tendon adaptations to submaximal CON and ECC RET. Twenty healthy young (24.5 ± 5.1 years) and 17 older males (68.1 ± 2.4 years) were randomly allocated to either isolated CON or ECC RET which took place 3/week for 8 weeks. Tendon biomechanical properties, muscle architecture and maximal voluntary contraction were assessed every 2 weeks and quadriceps muscle volume every 4 weeks. Positive changes in tendon Young’s modulus were observed after 4 weeks in all groups after which adaptations in young males plateaued but continued to increase in older males, suggesting a dampened rate of adaptation with age. However, both CON and ECC resulted in similar overall changes in tendon Young’s modulus, in all groups. Muscle hypertrophy and strength increases were similar between CON and ECC in all groups. However, pennation angle increases were greater in CON, and fascicle length changes were greater in ECC. Notably, muscle and tendon adaptations appeared to occur in synergy, presumably to maintain the efficacy of the muscle–tendon unit.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. e0256656
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Coratella ◽  
Stefano Longo ◽  
Susanna Rampichini ◽  
Christian Doria ◽  
Marta Borrelli ◽  
...  

The current study aimed to verify whether or not passive static stretching affects balance control capacity. Thirty-eight participants (19 women and 19 men) underwent a passive static stretching session, involving the knee extensor/flexor and dorsi/plantarflexor muscles, and a control session (no stretching, CTRL). Before (PRE), immediately after (POST), after 15 (POST15) and 30 min (POST30) from stretching (or rest in CTRL), balance control was evaluated under static and dynamic conditions, with open/closed eyes, and with/without somatosensory perturbation (foam under the feet). During tests, centre of pressure (CoP) sway area and perimeter and antero-posterior and medio-lateral sway mean speed were computed. Surface electromyography root mean square (sEMG RMS) was calculated from the vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, gastrocnemius medialis, and tibialis anterior muscles during MVC and during the balance tests. Hip flexion/extension and dorsi/plantarflexion range of motion (ROM), maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and sEMG RMS during MVC were measured at the same time points. After stretching, ROM increased (≈6.5%; P<0.05), while MVC and sEMG RMS decreased (≈9% and ≈7.5%, respectively; P<0.05). Regardless of the testing condition, CoP sway area and the perimeter remained similar, while antero-posterior and medio-lateral sway mean speed decreased by ≈8% and ≈12%, respectively (P<0.05). sEMG RMS during the balance tests increased in all muscles in POST (≈7%, P<0.05). All variables recovered in POST30. No changes occurred in CTRL. Passive static stretching did not affect the overall balance control ability. However, greater muscle activation was required to maintain similar CoP sway, thus suggesting a decrease in muscle efficiency.


Retos ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 271-275
Author(s):  
Oscar Valencia ◽  
Iver Cristi ◽  
Dario Ahumada ◽  
Keiny Meza ◽  
Rodrigo Salas ◽  
...  

Un importante porcentaje de las lesiones de miembros inferiores ha sido vinculado a la técnica de carrera, en particular, al contacto inicial con retropié (RP) o antepié (AP). Sin embargo, existe limitada evidencia de la actividad electromiográfica (EMG) para ambas condiciones. El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar la amplitud EMG en miembros inferiores al utilizar técnicas de RP vs AP durante la carrera. Trece corredores fueron evaluado a una velocidad de trote autoseleccionada en dos condiciones: contacto inicial con RP y AP. Se registró la actividad mioeléctrica del recto femoral (RF), bíceps femoral (BF), tibial anterior (TA), gastrocnemio medial (GM) y lateral (GL). Se consideró la amplitud promedio de la EMG en 10 ciclos de carrera, normalizados a la contracción voluntaria máxima. Los resultados destacan una mayor activación significativa de los músculos GM y GL en el contacto AP durante la fase de apoyo, balanceo y en todo el ciclo de carrera. Adicionalmente, el TA presentó una mayor activación durante la fase de vuelo y el 100% del ciclo de carrera para la condición RP. No se encontraron otras diferencias significativas. En conclusión, el uso de la técnica AP incrementa la actividad muscular de GM y GL, posiblemente asociado a una mayor absorción del impacto durante la fase de apoyo. Por otro lado, el TA incrementa su actividad con RP, lo que podría implicar un mayor control previo al contacto inicial. La técnica de carrera se presenta como una condición modificable según situaciones de rendimiento o patología.Abstract. Running technique has an impact on lower limb injuries, particularly the initial contact pattern such as rearfoot (RF) or forefoot (FF). However, there is limited evidence of the electromyographic (EMG) activity for both conditions. The aim of this study was to compare the lower limb muscles EMG amplitude between RF and FF techniques during running. Thirteen runners were evaluated at a self-selected running speed under two conditions: initial contact with RF and FF. The myoelectric activity of the rectus femoris (RE), biceps femoris (BF), tibialis anterior (TA), medial gastrocnemius (GM) and lateral (GL) were analysed. The EMG amplitudes of 10 running cycles were averaged and normalized to the maximum voluntary contraction. The results included a significantly higher activation of GM and GL muscles for the FF condition during the stance phase, balance and the entire running cycle. In addition, TA showed higher activation during the swing phase and the 100% running cycle for the RP condition. No other significant differences were found. In conclusion, FF technique increases GM and GL myoelectric activity, possibly associated with a higher impact absorption during the stance phase. On the other hand, TA increases its activity for RF condition which may imply a greater neuromuscular control prior to initial contact. Finally, the running technique is presented as a modifiable condition which can be changed to enhance performance or in pathologic circumstances.


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