[Purpose] This study aimed to clarify the effects of therapeutic ultrasound on range of
motion and stretch pain and the relationships between the effects. [Subjects] The subjects
were 15 healthy males. [Methods] Subjects performed all three interventions: (1)
ultrasound (US group), (2) without powered ultrasound (placebo group), and (3) rest
(control group). Ultrasound was applied at 3 MHz with an intensity of 1.0 W/cm2
and a 100% duty cycle for 10 minutes. The evaluation indices were active and passive range
of motion (ROM), stretch pain (visual analog scale; VAS), and skin surface temperature
(SST). The experimental protocol lasted a total of 40 minutes; this was comprised of 10
minutes before the intervention, 10 minutes during the intervention (US, placebo, and
control), and 20 minutes after the intervention. [Results] ROM and SST were significantly
higher in the US group than in the placebo and control groups for the 20 minutes after
ultrasound, though there was no change in stretch pain. [Conclusion] The effects of
ultrasound on ROM and SST were maintained for 20 minutes after the intervention. The SST
increased with ultrasound and decreased afterwards. Additionally, the SST tended to return
to baseline levels within 20 minutes after ultrasound exposure. Therefore, these effects
were caused by a combination of thermal and mechanical effects of the ultrasound.
The effects of ultrasound were maintained for 20 minutes after the trial on intramuscular blood circulation and oxygen dynamics. These effects were caused by a combination of thermal and mechanical effects of the ultrasound.
[Purpose] This study aimed to clarify the immediate effects of a combined transcutaneous
electrical nerve stimulation and stretching protocol. [Subjects] Fifteen healthy young
males volunteered to participate in this study. The inclusion criterion was a straight leg
raising range of motion of less than 70 degrees. [Methods] Subjects performed two
protocols: 1) stretching (S group) of the medial hamstrings, and 2) tanscutaneous
electrical nerve stimulation (100 Hz) with stretching (TS group). The TS group included a
20-minute electrical stimulation period followed by 10 minutes of stretching. The S group
performed 10 minutes of stretching. Muscle hardness, pressure pain threshold, and straight
leg raising range of motion were analyzed to evaluate the effects. The data were collected
before transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (T1), before stretching (T2),
immediately after stretching (T3), and 10 minutes after stretching (T4). [Results]
Combined transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and stretching had significantly
beneficial effects on muscle hardness, pressure pain threshold, and straight leg raising
range of motion at T2, T3, and T4 compared with T1. [Conclusion] These results support the
belief that transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation combined with stretching is
effective in reducing pain and decreasing muscle hardness, thus increasing range of
motion.
Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of rising motion, by analyzing the center of pressure (COP). [Participants and Methods] The subjects were 29 healthy males and females. The peak torque of each body part, long-sitting flexibility (LSF), and the required time were extracted as factors influencing the COP trace length, the speed of motion expressed by r, and the movement pattern expressed by θ.[Results] Trunk flexion at 120°/s, and trunk extension at 60 and 120°/s were identified as factors influencing the COP length. LSF and θ were identified as factors affecting r, the required time. Elbow joint flexion and extension at 90°/s were identified as factors affecting θ. [Conclusion] The results of this study suggest that the characteristics of the rising motion can be quantitatively understood by analysis of the COP information.
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