title: Acute Changes in Peripheral Vascular Tonus and Systemic Circulation during Static Stretching.
abstract: This study aimed to investigate the acute effect of static stretching (SS) on peripheral vascular tonus and to clarify the effect of SS on systemic circulation. Twenty healthy young male volunteers performed a 1-min SS motion of the right triceps surae muscle, repeated five times. The peripheral vascular tonus (|d/a| ratio) was obtained using second derivatives of the photoplethysmogram readings before, during, and after SS. Heart rate and blood pressure (BP) were also measured. The |d/a| ratio and BP were transiently, but significantly, elevated during SS and returned to baseline immediately after SS. Furthermore, we observed a significant correlation between the amount of change in the |d/a| ratio and the ankle range of motion during SS (r = 0.793 to 0.832, P = 0.01). These responses may be caused by mechanical stress during SS.
authors.affiliation: a Centre of Exercise and Sports Science Research, School of Exercise and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University , Australia.
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inami
authors.forename: Reizo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: Akemi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakagaki
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004576:Electromyography; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises; D009129:Muscle Tonus; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D010991:Plethysmography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: gastrocnemius muscle; photoplethysmogram; range of motion