Article
Biology
Masatoshi Nakamura, Shigeru Sato, Ryosuke Kiyono, Kaoru Yahata, Riku Yoshida, Taizan Fukaya, Andreas Konrad
Summary: The study compared the effects of static stretching and hold-relax stretching on ROM and muscle stiffness in older adults, showing that both methods increased ROM, with static stretching also decreasing muscle stiffness. Therefore, both hold-relax stretching and static stretching are recommended for older adults to improve ROM, with static stretching particularly helpful in reducing muscle stiffness.
Article
Physiology
Taizan Fukaya, Andreas Konrad, Shigeru Sato, Ryosuke Kiyono, Kaoru Yahata, Koki Yasaka, Remi Onuma, Riku Yoshida, Masatoshi Nakamura
Summary: This study compared the effects of contract-relax stretching and antagonist contract-relax stretching on muscle stiffness and stretch tolerance. The results showed that both methods significantly increased range of motion and stretch tolerance, but contract-relax stretching was more effective in reducing muscle stiffness.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Masatoshi Nakamura, Kazuki Kasahara, Riku Yoshida, Kaoru Yahata, Shigeru Sato, Yuta Murakami, Kodai Aizawa, Andreas Konrad
Summary: This study found that static compression via VFR can significantly improve muscle soreness and function, including increasing range of motion and reducing muscle soreness.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ruchi Shah, Marina W. Samuel, Jongsang Son
Summary: This review provides an overview of the recent research on the acute and chronic effects of static stretching on joint behaviors and neuromuscular responses. The findings suggest that static stretching can increase joint range of motion and reduce muscle and tendon properties.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Sport Sciences
Kazuki Kasahara, Riku Yoshida, Kaoru Yahata, Shigeru Sato, Yuta Murakami, Kodai Aizawa, Andreas Konrad, Masatoshi Nakamura
Summary: This study compared the acute effects of low-frequency and high-frequency VFR on ROM, muscle soreness, muscle strength, and performance of eccentrically damaged muscle. The results showed that both low-frequency and high-frequency VFR similarly improved these measures, indicating that high-frequency VFR is not necessary to improve muscle soreness and function.
JOURNAL OF SPORTS SCIENCE AND MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kosuke Takeuchi, Kazunori Akizuki, Masatoshi Nakamura
Summary: The study found a significant association between static stretching load and changes in hamstring flexibility, with high-intensity static stretching proving effective in improving knee extension ROM and muscle-tendon unit stiffness.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Masatoshi Nakamura, Kosuke Takeuchi, Taizan Fukaya, Gakuto Nakao, Andreas Konrad, Takamasa Mizuno
Summary: Static stretching can decrease the passive stiffness of the muscle-tendon unit (MTU) and/or muscles in older adults. The effects of static stretching on stiffness are comparable between older and young adults.
ARCHIVES OF GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRICS
(2024)
Article
Physiology
Denis Cesar Leite Vieira, Jules Opplert, Nicolas Babault
Summary: The study investigated the acute effects of dynamic stretching on neurophysiological and mechanical properties of plantar flexor muscles. The results indicated that dynamic stretching is multi-component, resulting from an interaction between stretching, contraction, and movement.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
S. Hasan Ali, Adarsh D. Makdani, Maria I. Cordero, Aspasia E. Paltoglou, Andrew G. Marshall, Martyn J. McFarquhar, Francis P. McGlone, Susannah C. Walker, Paula D. Trotter
Summary: This study aimed to broaden our understanding of the social touch hypothesis by investigating relative preference for static vs dynamic touch and the influence of force on these preferences. The results showed that static touch was generally preferred, while high-velocity touch was rated as the most pleasant. Attitudes and perceived stress were found to be predictors of touch sensitivity.
Article
Physiology
Yosuke Yamato, Yuya Higaki, Shumpei Fujie, Natsuki Hasegawa, Naoki Horii, Hiroki Aoyama, Yoshihiro Yamashina, Shigehiko Ogoh, Motoyuki Iemitsu
Summary: Passive stretching reduces stiffness in lower limb arteries by increasing shear rate, which may be related to local hemodynamic response and endothelial function.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Physiology
Gabriel S. Trajano, Anthony J. Blazevich
Summary: Prolonged static muscle stretching leads to a temporary reduction in maximal muscle force, primarily due to neural factors. This force loss is related to a decrease in the motoneuron's ability to amplify excitatory drive.
EXERCISE AND SPORT SCIENCES REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Sport Sciences
Hideaki Matsuo, Masafumi Kubota, Seiichiro Shimada, Ippei Kitade, Mayumi Matsumura, Tadayoshi Nonoyama, Yusuke Koie, Hiroaki Naruse, Ai Takahashi, Hisashi Oki, Yasuo Kokubo, Akihiko Matsumine
Summary: This study examined the effect of static stretching duration on muscle blood volume and oxygenation. The results showed that muscle blood volume and oxygenation decreased during stretching and increased after stretching. The duration of stretching influenced the decrease in muscle oxygenation during stretching and the increase in muscle blood volume after stretching. The minimum duration of stretching to sustain an increase in the muscle blood volume after stretching is 2 minutes.
JOURNAL OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Masatoshi Nakamura, Riku Yoshida, Shigeru Sato, Kaoru Yahata, Yuta Murakami, Kazuki Kasahara, Taizan Fukaya, Kosuke Takeuchi, Joao Pedro Nunes, Andreas Konrad
Summary: High-intensity static stretching (HI-SS) is more effective than low-intensity (LI-SS) for increasing range of motion and decreasing muscle stiffness of the plantar flexor muscles in young men after a 4-week training period. However, neither HI-SS nor LI-SS training led to changes in muscle strength, jump height, or muscle architecture. The control group did not show significant changes in any variables.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Sport Sciences
Sayaka Nakao, Tome Ikezoe, Masatoshi Nakamura, Hiroki Umegaki, Kosuke Fujita, Jun Umehara, Takuya Kobayashi, Satoko Ibuki, Noriaki Ichihashi
Summary: The study found that a static stretching intervention is effective for reducing musculotendinous unit stiffness of the hamstrings and influencing the angle of peak torque, but does not significantly change peak torque.
JOURNAL OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Physiology
Konstantin Warneke, Anna Brinkmann, Martin Hillebrecht, Stephan Schiemann
Summary: This study investigated the effects of long-term stretching on maximal strength, muscle cross sectional area (MCSA), and range of motion (ROM). The results showed that stretching significantly increased muscle mass, maximal strength, and ROM. Additionally, stretching induced contralateral force transfer. The study suggests that stretching-induced muscle damage and central neural adaptations may be responsible for these effects.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
