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The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of a 4-week intervention of static stretching (SS) on muscle hardness of the semitendinosus (ST), semimembranosus (SM) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles. Shear elastic modulus was measured by using ultrasound shear wave elastography as the index of muscle hardness. Thirty healthy men (age 22.7 ± 2.2 years) volunteered for this study and were randomly assigned to the SS intervention group (n = 15) or the control group (n = 15). Participants in the SS intervention group received a 4-week stretch intervention for the hamstrings of their dominant leg. Shear elastic moduli of the hamstrings were measured at initial evaluation and after 4 weeks in both groups at a determined angle. In all muscles, the shear elastic modulus decreased significantly after SS intervention. The percentage change in the shear elastic modulus from the value at initial evaluation to after 4 weeks intervention was greatest in the SM. These results suggest that SS intervention has chronic effects on reducing hardness of the hamstring muscle components, especially the SM muscle.

Context:Static stretching (SS) is commonly performed in a warm-up routine to increase joint range of motion (ROM) and to decrease muscle stiffness. However, the time course of changes in ankle-dorsiflexion (DF) ROM and muscle stiffness during a routine SS program is unclear.Objective:To investigate changes in ankle-DF ROM, passive torque at DF ROM, and muscle stiffness during a routine SS program performed 3 times weekly for 4 wk.Design:A quasi-randomized controlled-trial design.Participants:The subjects comprised 24 male volunteers (age 23.8 ± 2.3 y, height 172.0 ± 4.3 cm, body mass 63.1 ± 4.5 kg) randomly assigned to either a group performing a 4-wk stretching program (SS group) or a control group.Main Outcome Measures:DF ROM, passive torque, and muscle stiffness were measured during passive ankle dorsiflexion in both groups using a dynamometer and ultrasonography once weekly during the 4-wk intervention period.Results:In the SS group, DF ROM and passive torque at DF ROM significantly increased after 2, 3, and 4 wk compared with the initial measurements. Muscle stiffness also decreased significantly after 3 and 4 wk in the SS group. However, there were no significant changes in the control group.Conclusions: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.

BackgroundPassive mechanical properties are important in muscle function because they are related to the muscle extensibility. Recently, the assessment of muscle shear elastic modulus using shear-wave elastographic (SWE) imaging was developed. However, reliability and validity of shear elastic modulus measurements during passive stretching remain undefined.PurposeTo investigate the reproducibility and validity of the shear elastic modulus measured by SWE imaging during passive stretching.Material and MethodsTen healthy men volunteered for this study. The shear elastic modulus of medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle belly was measured using ultrasonic SWE imaging during passive dorsiflexion. To assess the intra-session and inter-day reliabilities, the protocol was performed twice by the same investigator with a 5-min rest period between measurement sessions and twice on two different days by the same investigator with a 1–2-week interval between the two sessions. To assess the inter-investigator reliability, the protocol was performed on the same day by two investigators with a 5-min rest between measurement sessions. In addition, B-mode ultrasonography was used to determine the displacement of myotendinous junction (MTJ) of MG during passive ankle dorsiflexion.ResultsThe intra-session, inter-day, and inter-investigator reliabilities of the method was confirmed on the basis of acceptably low coefficient of variations and substantially high intraclass correlation coefficients. In addition, a significant correlation was found between MTJ displacement and shear elastic modulus.ConclusionThese results suggested that shear elastic modulus measured using SWE imaging is a reproducible index reflecting the passive mechanical properties.