Acute effects of different static stretching exercises orders on cardiovascular and autonomic responses

The present study examined the acute effects of static stretching (SS) exercise order on cardiac responses. Seventeen individuals were submitted to two experimental SS session: Order "A" (larger to small muscles groups) and Order "B" (small to larger muscles groups). Heart rate (HR), systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), rate-pressure product (RPP) oxygen saturation (SpO₂), and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured at rest, midpoint of the session, immediately after the session, and in 5, 10, and 20 minutes after. SS increased HR and RPP in both orders, while reducing the rMSSD index and SpO₂. In the order "A", the SBP and DBP increased at the midpoint of the session. In the order "B", the SBP and DBP increased only immediately after the end of the session. DBP and RPP significantly higher in order "A" compared to order "B" in the midpoint of the session. It was also demonstrated higher values of DBP and minor mean R-R intervals in order "B" at 10 min-post session. SS increased cardiac overload in both performed orders. The overload generated by the SS of the larger muscles groups was greater when compared to the smaller muscles groups, suggesting that the exercise order interferes in cardiac overload.