Effects of acute static stretching on exercise efficiency during high-intensity cycling exercise
Akinori Waki1, Lu Chen1,2, Kei Hatano1
1Graduate School of Education, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness
|December 21, 2021
Summary
Pre-exercise static stretching reduces exercise efficiency without affecting maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) or muscle activation. This indicates stretching impairs aerobic performance through mechanisms other than reduced muscle force capacity.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Sports Science
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Static stretching can decrease exercise efficiency and maximal muscle force.
- Reduced efficiency may stem from altered muscle fiber recruitment to compensate for decreased maximum voluntary contraction (MVC).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if stretching-induced reductions in exercise efficiency correlate with decreased MVC and altered electromyographic (EMG) activity.
- To determine the relationship between static stretching, exercise efficiency, and neuromuscular responses.
Main Methods:
- Eight healthy subjects performed 6-minute cycling tests at 70% maximal oxygen uptake, with and without pre-exercise static stretching.
- Measured respiratory parameters and knee extensor EMG activity during exercise.
- Assessed MVC before and after exercise.
Main Results:
- Oxygen uptake was significantly higher during cycling in the static stretching condition compared to the control.
- No significant differences were observed in MVC or EMG activity between the stretching and control conditions post-exercise.
Conclusions:
- Pre-exercise static stretching impairs exercise efficiency independently of its effects on maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) capacity.
- The findings suggest that reduced aerobic exercise efficiency due to static stretching is not mediated by changes in MVC or EMG activity.
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