Acute effect of active stretching on knee flexion and extension strength and power output
Abstract
Method. A total of 27 males and 25 females completed three measurement sessions, an initial session of familiarization and two experimental session (control and active stretching in randomized order) with 72-96 hours interval among consecutive sessions. The active stretching protocol consisted in 5 different unilateral exercises designed to stretch the major lower limb muscle groups. Each stretching exercise was performed twice, holding the position during 30s (2 x 30s), with a rest-interval among series, contra-lateral leg and /or exercises of 20s. In the control session no stretching exercises were performed. Immediately after performed both treatments (control and stretching), the isokinetic indexes of peak torque (PT) and average power (AP) were tested during concentric and eccentric flexion and extension knee movements.
Results. The ANOVA analysis carried out revealed no significant interaction effect between testing sessions (control and stretching) for knee flexion and knee extension peak torque and mean power in both concentric and eccentric muscle contractions.
Conclusions. Short (2 x 30s per muscle group) pre-exercise active-static lower-limb stretching routine did not elicit stretching-induce reductions in knee flexor and knee extensor isokinetic concentric and eccentric strength.
