Table 1.
Characteristics of included studies.
| Author | Design | Sample Size | Subject Characteristics | Stretching Exercise Intervention | Assessment of Outcome | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Age (years) | Female (%) | BMI (kg/m2) | Others (e.g., Complications) | The Stretched Muscle | Time per Session (min/session) | Frequency (times/wk) | Duration of Intervention (wks) | Methods and Intensity | Arterial Stiffness | Endothelial Dysfunction | ||
| Wong, 2014 |
RCT | 28 | 57 ± 1 | 100 | 34.1 ± 1.1 | Postmenopausal women | Active stretching training including upper and lower extremity muscles | 50 | 3 | 8 | Hold for 30 s at the point of maximal exertion | baPWV AIx |
NR |
| Nishiwaki, 2015 | Non-RCT | 16 | 44 ± 4 | 0 | 23.3 ± 0.9 | Healthy men | Active stretching training including upper and lower extremity muscles | 30 | 5 | 4 | Hold for 20 s at the point of minimum discomfort | baPWV CAVI |
NR |
| Shinno, 2017 |
RCT | 22 | 47 ± 3 | 100 | 21.2 ± 4.3 | Healthy premenopausal women | Active stretching training including upper and lower extremity muscles | 15 | 7 | 12 | Hold for 20–30 s at the end range without pain | baPWV | RH-PAT index |
| Wong, 2017 |
RCT | 24 | 58 ± 1 | 100 | 33.9 ± 1.3 | Postmenopausal women | Active stretching training including upper and lower extremity muscles | 50 | 3 | 8 | Hold for 30 s at the point of maximal exertion | NR | NR |
| Boonpin, 2017 |
RCT | 40 | 55 ± 3 | 100 | 24.8 ± 3.0 | Postmenopausal women | Active stretching training including upper and lower extremity muscles | 30 | 5 | 6 | Hold for 20 s at the point of minimum discomfort | baPWV | NR |
| Kato, 2017 |
RCT | 50 | 70 ± 9 | 22 | 22.7 ± 3.4 | Stable CHF patients | Active stretching training including upper and lower extremity muscles | 20 | 7 | 4 | Hold for 30 s without pain | NR | RH-PAT index |
| Hotta, 2019 |
RCT with crossover | 13 | 71 ± 2 | 46 | 33 ± 3.3 | Stable symptomatic PAD patients | Passive stretching training using splint including lower extremity muscles | 30 | 5 | 4 | Ankle joints were kept at 15° of dorsiflexion without pain. | NR | FMD |
| Kim, 2019 |
Non-RCT | 20 | 70 ± 2 | 100 | 26.7 ± 3.8 | Metabolic syndrome and chronic disease women | Active and passive (combined) stretching training including upper and lower extremity muscles | 60 | 3 | 8 | RPE <= 11 | CAVI | NR |
RCT, randomized controlled trial; BMI, body mass index; wk, week; s, second; baPWV, brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity; AIx, augmentation index; NR, not reported; CAVI, cardio-ankle vascular index; RH-PAT, reactive hyperemia peripheral arterial tonometry; CHF, chronic heart failure; PAD, peripheral artery disease; FMD; flow-mediated dilation; RPE, rating of perceived exertion. Data are shown as mean ± SD.