Int J Sports Med 2020; 41(14): 1039-1046
DOI: 10.1055/a-1119-7902
Training & Testing

High-impact Routines to Ameliorate Trunk and Lower Limbs Flexibility in Women

Massimo De Nardi
1   Cryotherapy Lab, Krioplanet Ltd, Treviglio (BG), Italy
2   Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
,
Carlo Facheris
1   Cryotherapy Lab, Krioplanet Ltd, Treviglio (BG), Italy
3   Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
,
Piero Ruggeri
2   Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
,
Antonio La Torre
3   Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
4   Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Milano, IRCCS Galeazzi Orthopaedic Institute, Italy
,
Roberto Codella
3   Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
5   IRCCS Multimedica
› Author Affiliations
Funding This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Abstract

Several types of routines and methods have been experimented to gain neuro/muscular advantages, in terms of overall range of motion, in athletes and fitness enthusiasts. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of different routines on trunk- and lower limbs flexibility in a sample of young women. In a randomized-crossover fashion, eleven subjects underwent to: hamstrings stretching [S]; hamstrings stretching plus whole-body vibration [S+WBV]; partial-body cryotherapy [Cryo]; rest [Control]. Standing hamstrings stretch performance and sit-and-reach amplitude resulted to be improved with [S+WBV] compared to all other protocols (p<0.05). [Cryo] ameliorated the active knee extension performance with respect to all other interventions (p<0.05). These flexibility improvements were obtained without a loss in the trunk position sense proprioception. These results represent the first evidence that a single session of either vibration or cryotherapy can ameliorate flexibility without losing the trunk position sense proprioception in young women.



Publication History

Received: 00 00 2020

Accepted: 10 February 2020

Article published online:
15 July 2020

© 2020. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 
  • References

  • 1 Behm DG, Chaouachi A. A review of the acute effects of static and dynamic stretching on performance. Eur J Appl Physiol 2011; 111: 2633-2651
  • 2 Kay AD, Blazevich AJ. Effect of acute static stretch on maximal muscle performance: A systematic review. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2012; 44: 154-164
  • 3 Simic L, Sarabon N, Markovic G. Does pre-exercise static stretching inhibit maximal muscular performance? A meta-analytical review. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2013; 23: 131-148
  • 4 Behm DG. The Science and Physiology of Flexibility and Stretching Implications and Applications in Sport Performance and Health. 1st edition, Routledge; 2018
  • 5 Mizuno T, Matsumoto M, Umemura Y. Decrements in stiffness are restored within 10 min. Int J Sports Med 2012; 34: 484-490
  • 6 Annino G, Ruscello B, Lebone P. et al. Acute effects of static and dynamic stretching on jump performance after 15 min of reconditioning shooting phase in basketball players. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2017; 57: 330-337
  • 7 Matsuo S, Iwata M, Miyazaki M. et al. Changes in flexibility and force are not different after static versus dynamic stretching. Sport Med Int Open 2019; 03: E89-E95
  • 8 Behm DG, Blazevich AJ, Kay AD. et al. Acute effects of muscle stretching on physical performance, range of motion, and injury incidence in healthy active individuals: A systematic review. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2016; 41: 1-11
  • 9 Opplert J, Babault N. Acute effects of dynamic stretching on muscle flexibility and performance: An analysis of the current literature. Sports Med 2018; 48: 299-325
  • 10 Marchetti PH, Miyatake MMS, Magalhaes RA. et al. Different volumes and intensities of static stretching affect the range of motion and muscle force output in well-trained subjects. Sports Biomech 2019; 1-10
  • 11 Caldwell SL, Bilodeau RLS, Cox MJ. et al. Unilateral hamstrings static stretching can impair the affected and contralateral knee extension force but improve unilateral drop jump height. Eur J Appl Physiol 2019; 119: 1943-1949
  • 12 Rittweger J. Vibration as an exercise modality: How it may work, and what its potential might be. Eur J Appl Physiol 2010; 108: 877-904
  • 13 Karatrantou K, Bilios P, Bogdanis GC. et al. Effects of whole-body vibration training frequency on neuromuscular performance: A randomized controlled study. Biol Sport 2019; 36: 273-282
  • 14 Bemben D, Stark C, Taiar R. et al. Relevance of whole-body vibration exercises on muscle strength/power and bone of elderly individuals. Dose Response 2018; 16: 1559325818813066
  • 15 Sá-Caputo DC, Paineiras-Domingos LL, Oliveira R. et al. Acute effects of whole-body vibration on the pain level, flexibility, and cardiovascular responses in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Dose Response 2018; 16: 1559325818802139
  • 16 Feland JB, Hawks M, Hopkins JT. et al. Whole body vibration as an adjunct to static stretching. Int J Sports Med 2010; 31: 584-589
  • 17 Houston MN, Hodson VE, Adams KKE. et al. The effectiveness of whole-body-vibration training in improving hamstring flexibility in physically active adults. J Sport Rehabil 2015; 24: 77-82
  • 18 Gómez-Cabello A, González-Agüero A, Ara I. et al. Effects of a short-term whole body vibration intervention on physical fitness in elderly people. Maturitas 2013; 74: 276-278
  • 19 Issurin VB, Liebermann DG, Tenenbaum G. Effect of vibratory stimulation training on maximal force and flexibility. J Sports Sci 1994; 12: 561-566
  • 20 Sands WA, McNeal JR, Stone MH. et al. Flexibility enhancement with vibration: Acute and long-term. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2006; 38: 720-725
  • 21 Di Giminiani R, Manno R, Scrimaglio R. et al. Effects of individualized whole-body vibration on muscle flexibility and mechanical power. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2010; 50: 139-151
  • 22 De Nardi M, La Torre A, Benis R. et al. Acute effects of whole-body cryotherapy on sit-and-reach amplitude in women and men. Cryobiology 2015; 71: 511-513
  • 23 Algafly AA, George KP, Herrington L. The effect of cryotherapy on nerve conduction velocity, pain threshold and pain tolerance* Commentary. Br J Sports Med 2007; 41: 365-369
  • 24 De Nardi M, Silvani S, Ruggeri P. et al. Local cryostimulation acutely preserves maximum isometric handgrip strength following fatigue in young women. Cryobiology 2019; 87: 40-46
  • 25 Bleakley CM, Costello JT. Do thermal agents affect range of movement and mechanical properties in soft tissues? A systematic review. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2013; 94: 149-163
  • 26 Morrissey MC, Harman EA, Johnson MJ. Resistance training modes: Specificity and effectiveness. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1995; 27: 648-660
  • 27 Elvestad P, Ingersoll CD, Katch VL. et al. The effects of a worksite neuromuscular activation program on sick leave: A pilot study. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2008; 40: S434-S435
  • 28 Bentsen H, Lindgärde F, Manthorpe R. The effect of dynamic strength back exercise and/or a home training program in 57-year-old women with chronic low back pain. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 1997; 22: 1494-1500
  • 29 Harriss DJ, MacSween A, Atkinson G. Ethical standards in sport and exercise science research: 2020 update. Int J Sports Med 2019; 40: 813-817
  • 30 Shepherd E, Winter S, Gordon S. Comparing hamstring muscle length measurements of the traditional active knee extension test and a functional hamstring flexibility test. Physiother Rehabil 2017; 2: 125
  • 31 Williford HN, East JB, Smith FH. et al. Evaluation of warm-up for improvement in flexibility. Am J Sports Med 1986; 14: 316-319
  • 32 Deguzman L, Flanagan SP, Stecyk S. et al. The immediate effects of self-administered dynamic warm-up, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, and foam rolling on hamstring tightness. Athl Train Sports Health Care 2018; 10: 108-116
  • 33 Goldberg A, Hernandez ME, Alexander NB. Trunk repositioning errors are increased in balance-impaired older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2005; 60: 1310-1314
  • 34 Kippers V, Parker AW. Toe-Touch Test. Phys Ther 1987; 67: 1680-1684. In Internet: https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/ptj/67.11.1680
  • 35 Kraus H, Eisenmenger-Weber S. Evaluation of posture based on structural and functional measurements. Phys Ther 1945; 25: 267-271
  • 36 Perret C, Poiraudeau S, Fermanian J. et al. Validity, reliability, and responsiveness of the fingertip-to-floor test. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2001; 82: 1566-1570
  • 37 Cheatham SW, Stull KR. Comparison of three different density type foam rollers on knee range of motion and pressure pain threshold: A randomized controlled trial. Int J Sports Phys Ther 2018; 13: 474-482
  • 38 American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. Health Related Physical Fitness Test Manual. Reston, VA. 1980
  • 39 Tsuji T, Kitano N, Tsunoda K. et al. Short-term effects of whole-body vibration on functional mobility and flexibility in healthy, older adults. J Geriatr Phys Ther 2014; 37: 58-64
  • 40 Bogaerts A, Delecluse C, Claessens AL. et al. Impact of whole-body vibration training versus fitness training on muscle strength and muscle mass in older men: A 1-Year randomized controlled trial. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2007; 62: 630-635
  • 41 Fonda B, De Nardi M, Sarabon N. Effects of whole-body cryotherapy duration on thermal and cardio-vascular response. J Therm Biol 2014; 42: 52-55
  • 42 Ring EFJ, Ammer K. The technique of infrared imaging in medicine. In: Ring F, Jung A, Żuber J, Eds. Infrared Imaging. IOP Publishing Ltd; 2015: 1–10
  • 43 Costello JT, McInerney CD, Bleakley CM. et al. The use of thermal imaging in assessing skin temperature following cryotherapy: A review. J Therm Biol 2012; 37: 103-110
  • 44 Tavakol M, Dennick R. Making sense of Cronbach’s alpha. Int J Med Educ 2011; 2: 53-55
  • 45 Cohen J. Statistical Power for the Behavioral Sciences. (2nd Edition) 1988
  • 46 de Oliveira UF, de Araújo LC, de Andrade PR. et al. Skin temperature changes during muscular static stretching exercise. J Exerc Rehabil 2018; 14: 451-459
  • 47 Johnson AW, Warcup CN, Seeley MK. et al. The acute effects of stretching with vibration on dynamic flexibility in young female gymnasts. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2019; 59: 210-216
  • 48 Costello JT, Donnelly AE. Cryotherapy and joint position sense in healthy participants: A systematic review. J Athl Train 2010; 45: 306-316
  • 49 Uchio Y, Ochi M, Fujihara A. et al. Cryotherapy influences joint laxity and position sense of the healthy knee joint. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2003; 84: 131-135
  • 50 Cochrane DJ. Acute whole body vibration training increases vertical jump and flexibility performance in elite female field hockey players. Br J Sports Med 2005; 39: 860-865
  • 51 Annino G, Iellamo F, Palazzo F. et al. Acute changes in neuromuscular activity in vertical jump and flexibility after exposure to whole body vibration. Medicine (Baltimore) 2017; 96: e7629
  • 52 Binder C, Kaya AE, Liepert J. Vibration prolongs the cortical silent period in an antagonistic muscle. Muscle Nerve 2009; 39: 776-780
  • 53 Centro Studi e Osservatori Statistici per lo Sport. I numeri dello sport 2017. Rome, Italy: 2017