Figure - uploaded by Ibrahim Moustafa Abu Amer
Content may be subject to copyright.
Source publication
Aim:
To explore the effect of variable stretching intervals on neural function and ROM.
Design:
Double blind randomized controlled trial.
Setting:
University research laboratory.
Population:
One hundred participants, 60-65 years old, with a diagnosis of tight hamstring muscles, bilaterally, were randomly assigned to either a control group or...
Similar publications
Exercising in an unstable environment, such as with the use of a sling, improves neuromuscular adaptation by providing effective training stimuli. Moreover, whole body vibration has been used to restore the physical function of patients with nervous system and musculoskeletal disorders. However, there have been few studies on the most appropriate e...
Citations
Poor joint flexibility can increase frailty and mortality rates in older adults. However, the evidence of the benefit in the response to flexibility exercises is still less attention especially in female older adults. This study examined the immediate effects of dynamic closed-chain stretching (DCS), eccentric exercise (ECC), and static stretching (ST) on muscle architecture, flexibility, and extensibility. We recruited 48 female elderly adults with a mean age of 66.2 ± 3.6 years and randomly divided them into three groups. DCS included dynamic hamstring stretching for 48 repetitions, while ECC comprised 12 repetitions of hamstring eccentric exercise followed by calf down for 12 repetitions. Static hamstring stretching was done eight times in the ST group. The measurements for hamstrings and plantar flexor musculotendinous stiffness, straight leg raise (SLR), passive ankle dorsiflexion (PDF), and muscle ultrasound imaging of biceps femoris (BF) and medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles were performed before and immediately after exercise intervention. There was no change in hamstrings and plantar flexor passive stiffness in response to a single bout intervention. Moreover, SLR improvement was observed after all three interventions (p < 0.01) without significant differences between groups with increasing resting BF fascicle length (p < 0.01). Following ECC intervention, a similar change in PDF angle and MG fascicle length was also noticed. Our findings suggested that hamstrings and plantar flexor flexibilities were significantly improved with a contributable change in fascicle length rather than musculotendinous mechanical properties. Moreover, apart from the static stretching-related changes in leg flexibility, DCS or ECC could also be considered somewhat beneficial for the subsequent performance.
