Remote Effects of Lower Limb Stretching
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
Recent research suggests that the skeletal muscles and the fibrous connective tissue form a body-wide network of myofascial chains. A systematic analysis of dissection studies suggests that fascia links at least a variety of muscles to myofascial chains (Wilke et al. 2015). As fascia can modify its stiffness, strain transmission along these meridians is supposable (Norton-Old et al. 2013). Tensile transmission along myofascial chains might contribute to the proper functioning of the movement system. However, despite solid evidence from in vitro studies, scarce data is available concerning the in vivo behavior of the meridians. The present study is conducted to resolve this research deficit and to elucidate whether stretching of the lower limb muscles increases neck mobility. Healthy subjects (n = 3 x 20) participate in the randomized controlled trial. One group performs three 30 s bouts of static stretching for the gastrocnemius and the hamstrings respectively. A control group remains inactive for the same time. Participants of the third group perform 6x30 s bouts of static stretching of the cervical spine in zhe sagittal plane (flexion only). Pre and post intervention as well as 5 min after the intervention, maximal cervical range of motion (ROM) in flexion/extension, lateral flexion and rotation was assessed using an ultrasonic movement analysis system.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Experimental: Static Stretching lower limb Three 30 s bouts of static stretching for the gastrocnemius and the hamstrings respectively |
Other: Static Stretching lower limb
|
| Active Comparator: Static stretching Cervical Six 30 s bouts of static stretching of the cervical spine in the sagittal plane (flexion only) |
Other: Static stretching Cervical
|
| No Intervention: Ctrl No intervention |
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Maximal cervical range of motion in flexion/extension [2 min.]
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Maximal cervical range of motion in lateral flexion [2 min.]
- Maximal cervical range of motion in rotation [2 min.]
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- healthy participants after subscribing informed consent
Exclusion Criteria:
- severe orthopedic, cardiovascular, neurological, psychiatric or endocrine diseases, not completely healed traumata, drug intake in the past 48 hours, pregnancy and presence of muscle soreness.
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Department of Sports Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt/Main | Frankfurt/Main | Hessen | Germany | 60487 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- Goethe University
Investigators
None specified.Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
- Norton-Old KJ, Schache AG, Barker PJ, Clark RA, Harrison SM, Briggs CA. Anatomical and mechanical relationship between the proximal attachment of adductor longus and the distal rectus sheath. Clin Anat. 2013 May;26(4):522-30. doi: 10.1002/ca.22116. Epub 2012 Jun 14.
- Wilke J, Krause F, Vogt L, Banzer W. What Is Evidence-Based About Myofascial Chains: A Systematic Review. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2016 Mar;97(3):454-61. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2015.07.023. Epub 2015 Aug 14. Review.
- SpM2015-001