An Examination of the Acute Effects of Static Stretching Duration on Gastrocnemius Muscle Blood Flow by Superb Microvascular Imaging Method

Abstract

AIM: Static stretching (SS) exercises are frequently used to increase muscle flexibility, improve physical performance, and reduce musculoskeletal injuries. The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of different SS duration applied to the gastrocnemius muscle on muscle blood flow by superb microvascular imaging (SMI) method and compare the impact of stretching at different duration immediately after stretching and 10 minutes later. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 30 healthy volunteers aged between 18-35 years were included in this study. The individuals were divided into two groups randomly. 2-minute SS was applied to the gastrocnemius muscle of the first group, and 5-minute SS was performed to the gastrocnemius muscle of the second group. Blood flow in the muscle after stretching was evaluated by the SMI method. RESULTS: It was obtained that muscle blood flow raised as a result of stretching applications for 2 minutes and 5 minutes, stretching application for 5 minutes increased blood flow more than stretching application for 2 minutes (p0.05). CONCLUSION: It was thought that 2 or 5 minutes of stretching applications to increase circulation in healthy individuals might be sufficient.