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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 25, 2026

Adapted Resistance Training Improves Strength in Eight Weeks in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis

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Published on: January 29, 2016

A 10-week stretching program increases strength in the contralateral muscle.

Arnold G Nelson¹, Joke Kokkonen, Jason B Winchester

¹Department of Kinesiology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. anelso@.lsu.edu

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

|February 3, 2012

Summary

Unilateral calf stretching for 10 weeks improved strength in both the stretched and non-stretched legs, demonstrating a strength crosstraining effect. However, range of motion gains were only observed in the stretched limb.

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Area of Science:

Exercise Physiology
Sports Science
Rehabilitation

Background:

The potential for unilateral training programs to induce contralateral adaptations, known as crosstraining, is an area of ongoing research.
Previous studies have explored crosstraining effects in various exercise modalities, but specific evidence regarding chronic stretching is less defined.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether a unilateral calf stretching program can induce a strength and range of motion (ROM) crosstraining effect in the contralateral, non-stretched muscle.
To determine if chronic stretching can enhance strength and ROM in untrained individuals.

Main Methods:

A 10-week intervention involving unilateral calf stretching (3 days/week, 4x30s stretches per session) was performed on 13 untrained participants.
A control group of 12 untrained individuals did not undergo stretching.
Strength (1 repetition maximum - 1RM) and range of motion (ROM) of both the stretched and non-stretched calf muscles were measured pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

The stretched calf muscle showed a significant 8% increase in ROM and a 29% increase in 1RM strength.
The non-stretched calf muscle exhibited an 11% significant increase in 1RM strength, indicating a strength crosstraining effect.
The non-stretched calf muscle showed a slight, non-significant 1% decrease in ROM, suggesting no ROM crosstraining effect.

Conclusions:

Chronic unilateral calf stretching can induce a significant strength crosstraining effect in the contralateral muscle.
Stretching alone can lead to strength gains in untrained individuals, reinforcing previous findings.
The observed crosstraining effect appears specific to strength and does not extend to range of motion improvements in the non-stretched limb.