Quadriceps or triceps surae proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching with post-stretching dynamic activities does not induce acute changes in running economy.

Previous studies reported that both a more compliant quadriceps tendon and a stiffer Achilles tendon are associated with better running economy. While tendon stiffness can be decreased by a single bout of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), post-stretching dynamic activities (PSA) can counteract the potential stretch-induced force loss. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate if a single, moderate duration, (4 × 15 s), bout of PNF stretching of either the quadriceps or triceps surae muscles followed each by PSA, causes either an improvement or impairment in running economy. Eighteen trained male runners/triathletes visited the laboratory five times. The first two visits were to familiarize the participants and to test for maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) respectively. The further three appointments were randomly assigned to either 1.) quadriceps PNF stretching + PSA or 2.) triceps surae PNF stretching + PSA or 3.) no stretching + PSA. Following the interventions, participants performed a 15-min run on the treadmill with a speed reflecting a velocity of 70% VO2max to assess oxygen consumption (i.e., running economy) and running biomechanics. Our results showed neither a difference in oxygen consumption (p = 0.15) nor a change in any variable of the running biomechanics (p > 0.33) during the steady-state (i.e., last 5 min) of the 15-min run. Athletes can perform moderate duration PNF stretching of the quadriceps or triceps surae + PSA prior to a running event, without affecting running economy. Future studies should emphasize long-term training effects on tendon stiffness adaptations and running economy.

Oxygen consumption of gastrocnemius medialis muscle during submaximal voluntary isometric contractions with and without preceding stretch.

After an active muscle stretch, maintaining a certain amount of force in the following isometric phase is accompanied by less muscle activation compared to an isometric contraction without preceding active stretch at the corresponding muscle length. This reduced muscle activation might be related to reduced metabolic costs, such as the oxidative metabolism. Hence, the aim of this study was to clarify if mechanisms associated with stretch-induced activation reduction (AR) also influence oxygen consumption of voluntary activated human muscles after active stretch. Plantarflexion torque of 20 subjects was measured during 1) purely isometric and 2) active stretch contractions (26°, 60°/s), at a submaximal torque level of 30% MVC. Oxygen consumption (m[Formula: see text]O2) of gastrocnemius medialis (GM) was estimated by near-infrared spectroscopy while applying arterial occlusion. Since the overall group did not show AR at GM after active stretch (p > 0.19), a subgroup was defined (n = 10) showing AR of 13.0 ± 10.3% (p = 0.00). However, for both purely isometric and active contractions m[Formula: see text]O2 was the same (p = 0.32). Therefore, AR triggered by active stretch did not affect m[Formula: see text]O2 of active human muscle.

Reduced activation in isometric muscle action after lengthening contractions is not accompanied by reduced performance fatigability.

After active lengthening contractions, a given amount of force can be maintained with less muscle activation compared to pure isometric contractions at the same muscle length and intensity. This increase in neuromuscular efficiency is associated with mechanisms of stretch-induced residual force enhancement. We hypothesized that stretch-related increase in neuromuscular efficiency reduces fatigability of a muscle during submaximal contractions. 13 subjects performed 60 s isometric knee extensions at 60% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) with and without prior stretch (60°/s, 20°). Each 60 s trial was preceded and followed by neuromuscular tests consisting of MVCs, voluntary activation (VA) and resting twitches (RT), and there was 4 h rest between sets. We found a significant (p = 0.036) 10% reduction of quadriceps net-EMG after lengthening compared to pure isometric trials. However, increase in neuromuscular efficiency did not influence the development of fatigue. Albeit we found severe reduction of MVC (30%), RT (30%) and VA (5%) after fatiguing trials, there were no differences between conditions with and without lengthening. As the number of subjects showing no activation reduction increased with increasing contraction time, intensity may have been too strenuous in both types of contractions, such that a distinction between different states of fatigue was not possible anymore.