Table 1.
Range of motion (ROM), maximum passive resistive torque (PRTmax), and plantarflexor muscles force-generating capacity variables before (Pre), at the 6th week (Wk6), and at the 12th week (Wk12) of study protocol in both passive stretching training (STR) and control (CTRL) groups
| Parameter | STR (N = 15) | CTRL (N = 15) | ANOVA | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre | Wk6 | Wk12 | Pre | Wk6 | Wk12 | Time effect | Group × time interaction | |
| ROM (°) | 23.3 ± 3.3 | 25.5 ± 3.5a | 28.3 ± 3.0a,b,** | 23.5 ± 4.0 | 24.3 ± 3.6 | 24.6 ± 4.0 |
F = 26.90 P < 0.01 ηp2 = 0.49 |
F = 10.75 P < 0.01 ηp2 = 0.28 |
| PRTmax (Nm) | 39.4 ± 9.9 | 46.4 ± 14.8 | 49.3 ± 15.3a,* | 41.9 ± 9.4 | 41.4 ± 9.9 | 41.2 ± 10.4 |
F = 3.66 P = 0.03 ηp2 = 0.12 |
F = 4.85 P = 0.01 ηp2 = 0.15 |
| MVC (Nm) | 147.2 ± 32.1 | 148.7 ± 32.4 | 150.4 ± 32.6 | 151.7 ± 33.7 | 152.8 ± 32.8 | 153.9 ± 38.1 |
F = 1.36 P = 0.26 ηp2 = 0.03 |
F = 0.05 P = 0.95 ηp2 = 0.001 |
| GM sEMG (mV) | 0.47 ± 0.08 | 0.49 ± 0.09 | 0.48 ± 0.09 | 0.48 ± 0.10 | 0.50 ± 0.09 | 0.49 ± 0.10 |
F = 1.37 P = 0.26 ηp2 = 0.03 |
F = 1.52 P = 0.22 ηp2 = 0.04 |
| GL sEMG (mV) | 0.39 ± 0.09 | 0.39 ± 0.08 | 0.38 ± 0.10 | 0.38 ± 0.10 | 0.37 ± 0.08 | 0.39 ± 0.09 |
F = 0.33 P = 0.72 ηp2 = 0.01 |
F = 1.22 P = 0.30 ηp2 = 0.03 |
| SOL sEMG (mV) | 0.28 ± 0.05 | 0.29 ± 0.05 | 0.27 ± 0.07 | 0.28 ± 0.08 | 0.27 ± 0.08 | 0.29 ± 0.07 |
F = 0.31 P = 0.74 ηp2 = 0.01 |
F = 1.80 P = 0.17 ηp2 = 0.05 |
| RTD200 (Nm/s) | 364.8 ± 119.6 | 367.0 ± 127.7 | 377.1 ± 125.6 | 386 ± 174.5 | 346.3 ± 188.9 | 344.8 ± 135.5 |
F = 1.72 P = 0.19 ηp2 = 0.07 |
F = 3.02 P = 0.09 ηp2 = 0.11 |
| EMD (ms) | 27.5 ± 5.1 | 27.8 ± 5.7 | 27.9 ± 4.8 | 26.9 ± 5.1 | 27.1 ± 6.0 | 27.3 ± 5.0 |
F = 0.11 P = 0.90 ηp2 = 0.004 |
F = 0.01 P = 0.98 ηp2 = 0.001 |
Values are mean ± SD
MVC, maximum voluntary contraction; sEMG, surface electromyogram root mean square; GM, gastrocnemius medialis; GL, gastrocnemius lateralis; SOL, soleus; RTD200, rate of torque development from 0 to 200 ms; EMD, total electromechanical delay; ηp2, partial eta-squared
aStatistically different from Pre with P < 0.05
bStatistically different from Wk6 with P < 0.05
*Statistically different from CTRL at the same time point with P < 0.05
**Statistically different from CTRL at the same time point with P < 0.01