Acute effect of different muscle groups stretching in muscle performance in elderly women

• Grant number: 13/07008-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2013
• End date: December 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physical Education
• Principal Investigator: Sebastião Gobbi
• Grantee: Carolina Pasqual Celestrin
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 14/02634-0 - Relation between flexibility, muscle strength and fear of falling in the elderly, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

Among the numerous possibilities of physical exercise, it has been recommended that stretching routines be incorporated into training programs focused on the elderly population and that these be preferentially performed on the same day of strength or aerobic training. However, studies have shown that static stretching exercises can acutely impair muscle strength production. And although there seems to be a relationship between the elongated muscles and muscle strength response, no studies were found examining this. Thus, the objective of this study is to analyze the acute effect of stretching of different muscle groups in muscle performance in elderly women. Fifteen physically active elderly women will participate in this study. The participants will visit the lab for six consecutive days, three of which are intended for familiarization. Over the next three days, all the participants will be subjected to experimental conditions: control (C, no stretching); stretching only quadriceps muscle (AQ) full stretch (AC), facing the major muscle groups involved in flexion of knees and hips. The experimental conditions will be performed with an interval of at least 24 hours and the order of execution will be randomized. Data recording procedures for the isometric force-time and electromyographic activity of the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis will be made on the Leg Press machine, connected to a force transducer. Measures will be registered immediately after each experimental condition, during five seconds. To statistical analysis will be used descriptive procedures and the One way ANOVA test for repeated measures (p <0.05).(AU)