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Influence of acute passive stretching on the oxygen uptake vs work rate slope during an incremental cycle test
Eloisa Limonta1, Susanna Rampichini1, Andrea Riboli1
1Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Via G. Colombo 71, 20133, Milan, Italy.
Purpose:
The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of acute passive stretching on O2 uptake (VO2) vs work rate slope during a continuous incremental ramp exercise.
Methods:
On two different occasions, eight participants (age 23 ± 3 years; stature 1.71 ± 0.10 m; body mass 68 ± 8 kg; mean ± SD) performed two maximum incremental ramp tests on a cycle ergometer (25 W/min), with and without pre-exercise stretching. During tests, we measured VO2 and other metabolic and cardiorespiratory parameters on a breath-by-breath basis. The VO2 vs work rate slopes were calculated below (S 1) and above (S 2) the first ventilatory threshold (VET1).
Results:
With stretching: (1) peak VO2 did not change, while peak work rate decreased (P < 0.05, ES = -0.41; CI -1.40/-0.58); (2) in spite of a similar S 1, S 2 was steeper by about 11 % (P < 0.05; ES = 0.62; CI -0.38/-1.62).
Conclusions:
Stretching reduced peak work rate and altered the [Formula: see text] vs work rate relationship above VET1 (S 2), without affecting peak VO2. The present findings have practical implications, questioning the use of stretching manoeuvres especially when peak work rate plays a key role in exercise performance.
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