Masatoshi Nakamura

Static stretching (SS) is commonly used to prevent or improve limited joint mobility. However, it is unclear whether the components of the muscle-tendon unit (MTU) are affected by 5 min of SS. This study investigated the acute and prolonged effect of SS on the mechanical properties of the MTU. The subjects comprised 15 male participants (mean age: 21.5 ± 1.6 years). MTU stiffness, muscle stiffness, tendon stiffness, and fascicle length of the gastrocnemius muscle were measured by ultrasonography

The purpose of this study was to compare two static stretching (SS) training programs at high-intensity (HI-SS) and low-intensity (LI-SS) on passive and active properties of the plantar flexor muscles. Forty healthy young men were randomly allocated into three groups: HI-SS intervention group (<i>n</i> = 14), LI-SS intervention group (<i>n</i> = 13), and non-intervention control group (<i>n</i> = 13). An 11-point numerical scale (0-10; none to very painful stretching) was used to determine SS in

In the sports field, from the point of performance, a 20-s SS intervention could be a useful technique before exercise because it increases ROM and does not decrease maximum torque.

Based on these results, the SS program effectively increased DF ROM and decreased muscle stiffness. Furthermore, an SS program of more than 2 wk duration effectively increased DF ROM and changed the stretch tolerance, and an SS program more than 3 wk in duration effectively decreased muscle stiffness.

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 w

These results suggest that both HRS and SS can effectively decrease muscle stiffness of the gastrocnemius MTU and that HRS induces a change in the passive torque at end ROM--i.e., sensory perception--rather than changing muscle stiffness.

The present study compared two unilateral arm curl resistance exercise protocols with a different starting and finishing elbow joint angle in the same ROM for changes in elbow flexors strength and muscle thickness of the trained and non-trained arms. Thirty-two non-resistance trained young adults were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: extended joint training (0°-50°; EXT, <i>n</i> = 12); flexed joint training (80°-130°; FLE, <i>n</i> = 12); and non-training control (<i>n</i> = 8). Th