The Effects of Posture and Dynamic Stretching on the Electromechanical Delay of the Paraspinal Muscles

Abstract

Electromechanical delay (EMD) of muscle is influenced in part by its in-series arrangement with connective tissue. Therefore, studying EMD might provide a better understanding of the muscle–connective tissue interaction. Here, EMD of the thoracic and lumbar erector spinae muscles were investigated under conditions that could influence muscle–connective tissue interaction. A total of 19 participants performed isometric back extension contractions in 3 different postures that influence lumbar spine angle: sitting, standing, and kneeling. They then performed a 15-minute dynamic stretching routine and repeated the standing contractions. Mean lumbar flexion angles of 0.5°, 9.9°, and 19.8° were adopted for standing, kneeling, and sitting, respectively. No statistically significant differences in the thoracic erector spinae EMD were found between the different postures. Lumbar erector spinae EMD was significantly longer in the sitting (94.1 ms) compared to the standing (69.9 ms) condition, with no differences compared to kneeling (79.7 ms). There were no statistically significant differences of the thoracic or lumbar erector spinae EMDs before and after dynamic stretching. These results suggest that dynamic stretching does not affect the mechanical behavior of the muscle-tendon–aponeurosis units in a way that alters force generation and transmission, but a sitting posture can alter how force is transmitted through the musculotendinous complex of the lumbar erector spinae.