ORTHOPEDIC AREA   

Medicina dello Sport 2019 September;72(3):395-403

DOI: 10.23736/S0025-7826.19.03333-7

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English, Italian

Effect of antagonist passive static stretching on the muscular force of the knee flexors

Filipe R. MENDONÇA ¹ ✉, Waynne F. de FARIA ¹, Paula R. da SILVA ¹, Melissa ANTUNES ², Rui G. MARQUES ELIAS ¹, Antonio STABELINI NETO ¹, Claudinei F. dos SANTOS ¹

¹ Health Sciences Center, Faculty of Physical Education, State University of Northern Paraná, Jacarezinho, Brazil; ² Laboratory of Metabolism, Nutrition, and Exercise, Physical Education and Sports Center, Londrina State University, Londrina, Brazil

BACKGROUND: Static stretching for agonist musculature is widely used as a preparation by sportsmen of different sports, however it has been shown to have a negative influence on muscle strength. On the other hand, the antagonist static stretching necessitates research to elucidate its function. The objective of the study was to compare the peak torque (PT) and total work (TW) of the knee flexors without elongation (control) and after static stretching (quadriceps).
METHODS: This study included 14 young adult men (24.28±4.48 years) resistance training sportsmen, who visited the lab three times, being the first one for evaluations of anthropometry, body composition and familiarization with the isokinetic test. In the next two visits the volunteers were randomly assigned to perform isokinetic test with antagonist static stretching group (SSG) or control group (CG) between the series. The test consisted of four sets with 10 repetitions and a 90-second interval between sets. Antagonist static stretching (SS) lasted 30 seconds. For comparison between groups was used ANOVA for repeated measures.
RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the conditions (P>0.05), only significant effect of the series on PT (F=14.10, P<0.001) and TW (F=23.41, P<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Antagonist static stretching between the series did not influence the agonist performance of isokinetic muscle strength in the present study.

KEY WORDS: Muscle stretching exercises; Muscle strength; Muscle strength dynamometer; Muscle fatigue; Resistance training