Table 2.
Effects of stretching on changes in isometric muscle force and electromyographic activity at the flexed position.
| Dependant variable | Streching method | Pre | Post 0 min | Post 20 min | Post 60 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isometric muscle force at the flexed position (Nm) | SS | 70.4 ± 16.4 | 59.3 ± 15.6 * | 58.6 ± 14.6 * | 58.5 ± 15.0 * |
| Relative change | - | -16.1 ± 8.7% | -16.5 ± 11.5% | -16.8 ± 10.0% | |
| DS | 70.6 ± 12.8 | 60.6 ± 13.5 * | 59.3 ± 13.4 * | 58.0 ± 14.0 * | |
| Relative change | - | -14.5 ± 7.7% | -16.5 ± 8.8% | -18.3 ± 10.3% | |
| SS-DS | 67.3 ± 15.5 | 58.5 ± 15.9 * | 57.1 ± 15.1 * | 56.6 ± 15.6 * | |
| Relative change | - | -13.7 ± 7.7% | -15.5 ± 6.6% | -16.5 ± 8.2% | |
| DS-SS | 69.5 ± 16.9 | 59.1 ± 17.7 * | 56.8 ± 17.4 * | 59.5 ± 17.4 * | |
| Relative change | - | -16.0 ± 9.0% | -19.3 ± 7.9% | -15.1 ± 9.9% | |
| RMS values (medial hamstrings) (μV) | SS | 257.6 ± 83.1 | 204.9 ± 58.8 * | 193.0 ± 67.8 * | 199.0 ± 80.2 * |
| Relative change | - | -17.6 ± 16.2% | -23.9 ± 15.4% | -22.1 ± 21.4% | |
| DS | 254.4 ± 107.2 | 200.4 ± 70.4 * | 212.8 ± 93.4 * | 208.0 ± 83.2 * | |
| Relative change | - | -19.3 ± 15.1% | -15.8 ± 17.7% | -16.2 ± 23.0% | |
| SS-DS | 252.9 ± 83.4 | 200.7 ± 73.2 * | 214.2 ± 91.5 | 203.2 ± 77.2 * | |
| Relative change | - | -19.3 ± 18.5% | -13.6 ± 23.3% | -17.9 ± 22.7% | |
| DS-SS | 246.8 ± 88.1 | 210.5 ± 87.3 * | 209.5 ± 85.6 | 201.3 ± 70.1 * | |
| Relative change | - | -13.1 ± 26.0% | -12.9 ± 27.4 | -16.8 ± 18.2% | |
| RMS values (lateral hamstrings) (μV) | SS | 233.6 ± 108.0 | 218.3 ± 75.3 | 203.1 ± 65.5 | 198.2 ± 76.2 |
| Relative change | - | -1.6 ± 23.4% | -8.1 ± 23.0% | -9.4 ± 24.8% | |
| DS | 206.0 ± 68.3 | 198.2 ± 74.4 | 167.3 ± 44.3 * | 162.9 ± 53.1 * | |
| Relative change | - | -3.1 ± 22.8% | -14.5 ± 22.7% | -19.6 ± 16.7% | |
| SS-DS | 201.9 ± 39.5 | 194.4 ± 55.4 | 180.4 ± 46.0 | 191.0 ± 54.1 | |
| Relative change | - | -4.5 ± 15.3% | -10.2 ± 18.9% | -4.8 ± 22.0% | |
| DS-SS | 209.6 ± 71.3 | 179.5 ± 56.0 * | 177.9 ± 67.1 * | 192.6 ± 69.4 | |
| Relative change | - | -12.0 ± 16.0% | -14.8 ± 19.0% | -7.0 ± 15.7% |
RMS, root mean square; SS, static stretching; DS, dynamic stretching; SS-DS, static stretching followed by dynamic stretching; DS-SS, dynamic stretching followed by static stretching. Values are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation.
*p < 0.05 compared with the pre-stretching value.