Acute and Prolonged Effects of Stretching on Shear Modulus of the Pectoralis Minor Muscle

Increased muscle stiffness of the pectoralis minor (PMi) could deteriorate shoulder function. Stretching is useful for maintaining and improving muscle stiffness in rehabilitation and sport practice. However, the acute and prolonged effect of stretching on the PMi muscle stiffness is unclear due to limited methodology for assessing individual muscle stiffness. Using shear wave elastography, we explored the responses of shear modulus to stretching in the PMi over time. The first experiment (n = 20) aimed to clarify the acute change in the shear modulus during stretching. The shear modulus was measured at intervals of 30 s × 10 sets. The second experiment (n = 16) aimed to observe and compare the prolonged effect of different durations of stretching on the shear modulus. Short and long stretching duration groups underwent 30s × 1 set and 30s × 10 sets, respectively. The assessments of shear modulus were conducted before, immediately after, and at 5, 10, and 15 min post-stretching. In experiment I, the shear modulus decreased immediately after a bout (30 s) of stretching (p < 0.001, change: -2.3 kPa, effect size: r = 0.72) and further decreased after 3 repetitions (i.e., 90 s) of stretching (p = 0.03, change: -1.0 kPa, effect size: r = 0.53). In experiment II, the change in the shear modulus after stretching was greater in the long duration group than in the short duration group (p = 0.013, group mean difference: -2.5 kPa, partial η2 = 0.36). The shear modulus of PMi decreased immediately after stretching, and stretching for a long duration was promising to maintain the decreased shear modulus. The acute and prolonged effects on the PMi shear modulus provide information relevant to minimum and persistent stretching time in rehabilitation and sport practice.

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Contributions of Hamstring Stiffness to Straight-Leg-Raise and Sit-and-Reach Test Scores

International Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1055/s-0043-117411 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 39 (02) ◽

pp. 110-114 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Naokazu Miyamoto ◽

Kosuke Hirata ◽

Noriko Kimura ◽

Eri Miyamoto-Mikami

Keyword(s):

Shear Modulus ◽

Test Scores ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Shear Wave Elastography ◽

Biceps Femoris ◽

Muscle Stiffness ◽

R Value ◽

The Right ◽

Straight Leg Raise ◽

The Relationship

AbstractThe passive straight-leg-raise (PSLR) and the sit-and-reach (SR) tests have been widely used to assess hamstring extensibility. However, it remains unclear to what extent hamstring stiffness (a measure of material properties) contributes to PSLR and SR test scores. Therefore, we aimed to clarify the relationship between hamstring stiffness and PSLR and SR scores using ultrasound shear wave elastography. Ninety-eight healthy subjects completed the study. Each subject completed PSLR testing, and classic and modified SR testing of the right leg. Muscle shear modulus of the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus was quantified as an index of muscle stiffness. The relationships between shear modulus of each muscle and PSLR or SR scores were calculated using Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficients. Shear modulus of the semitendinosus and semimembranosus showed negative correlations with the two PSLR and two SR scores (absolute r value≤0.484). Shear modulus of the biceps femoris was significantly correlated with the PSLR score determined by the examiner and the modified SR score (absolute r value≤0.308). The present findings suggest that PSLR and SR test scores are strongly influenced by factors other than hamstring stiffness and therefore might not accurately evaluate hamstring stiffness.

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The Acute and Prolonged Effects of Different Durations of Foam Rolling on Range of Motion, Muscle Stiffness, and Muscle Strength

Journal of Sports Science and Medicine ◽

10.52082/jssm.2021.62 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 62-68

Author(s):

Masatoshi Nakamura ◽

Remi Onuma ◽

Ryosuke Kiyono ◽

Koki Yasaka ◽

Shigeru Sato ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Elastic Modulus ◽

Muscle Strength ◽

Range Of Motion ◽

Athletic Performance ◽

Muscle Stiffness ◽

Medial Gastrocnemius ◽

Foam Rolling ◽

Shear Elastic Modulus ◽

Prolonged Effect ◽

Acute And Prolonged Effects

“Foam Rolling” has been used in sports settings to increase range of motion and decrease muscle stiffness without decreasing muscle strength and athletic performance. However, there has been no study investigating the acute and prolonged effect of different durations of foam rolling intervention on muscle stiffness, and the minimum foam rolling intervention duration required to decrease muscle stiffness is unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the acute and prolonged effect of different durations of foam rolling intervention on ROM, muscle stiffness, and muscle strength. The 45 participants were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 groups (30 s × 1 times group vs 30 s × 3 times group vs 30 s× 10 times group). The outcome measures were dorsiflexion range of motion, shear elastic modulus of medial gastrocnemius, and muscle strength before, 2 min and 30 min after foam rolling intervention. There were no significant differences before and 2 min after foam rolling intervention in 30 s×1 time group, whereas dorsiflexion range of motion was increased in both 30 s×3 times group (p = 0.042, d = 0.26) and 30 s× 10 times group (p < 0.01, d = 0.33). However, the increase in dorsiflexion range of motion was returned to baseline value after 30 minutes in both 30 s × 3 times group and 30 s × 10 times group. In addition, there were no significant changes in shear elastic modulus and muscle strength in all groups. This study suggested that foam rolling for more than 90 s or more of foam rolling was effective in order to increase the range of motion immediately without changing muscle stiffness and muscle strength.

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Effects of body postures on the shear modulus of thoracolumbar fascia: a shear wave elastography study

Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing ◽

10.1007/s11517-021-02320-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 59 (2) ◽

pp. 383-390

Author(s):

Baizhen Chen ◽

Chunlong Liu ◽

Ming Lin ◽

Weixin Deng ◽

Zhijie Zhang

Keyword(s):

Shear Modulus ◽

Shear Wave ◽

Shear Wave Elastography ◽

Body Postures ◽

Thoracolumbar Fascia

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Muscle shear modulus measured with ultrasound shear-wave elastography across a wide range of contraction intensity

Muscle & Nerve ◽

10.1002/mus.24104 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 103-113 ◽

Cited By ~ 84

Author(s):

Yasuhide Yoshitake ◽

Yohei Takai ◽

Hiroaki Kanehisa ◽

Minoru Shinohara

Keyword(s):

Shear Modulus ◽

Shear Wave ◽

Shear Wave Elastography ◽

Wide Range

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Effects of the trunk position on muscle stiffness that reflects elongation of the lumbar erector spinae and multifidus muscles: an ultrasonic shear wave elastography study

European Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1007/s00421-019-04098-6 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 119 (5) ◽

pp. 1085-1091 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mitsuhiro Masaki ◽

Xiang Ji ◽

Taishi Yamauchi ◽

Hiroshige Tateuchi ◽

Noriaki Ichihashi

Keyword(s):

Shear Wave ◽

Shear Wave Elastography ◽

Muscle Stiffness ◽

Erector Spinae ◽

Ultrasonic Shear ◽

Trunk Position

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

Journal of Sport Rehabilitation ◽

10.1123/jsr.2018-0376 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (5) ◽

pp. 578-582

Author(s):

Masatoshi Nakamura ◽

Shigeru Sato ◽

Ryosuke Kiyono ◽

Nobushige Takahashi ◽

Tomoichi Yoshida

Keyword(s):

Elastic Modulus ◽

Shear Wave ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Shear Wave Elastography ◽

Muscle Stiffness ◽

Medial Gastrocnemius ◽

Static Stretching ◽

Shear Elastic Modulus ◽

Before And After

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.

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