Acute effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching on rectus femoris muscle stiffness: a dose-response shear-wave elastography study
IntroductionProprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching is widely used to increase range of motion, but its underlying mechanisms are not well understood. This experimental, parallel group design study investigated the acute effects of PNF stretching on rectus femoris muscle stiffness...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2024.1496825/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841553865221079040 |
|---|---|
| author | Sara Kranjc Mojca Fink Masatoshi Nakamura Žiga Kozinc |
| author_facet | Sara Kranjc Mojca Fink Masatoshi Nakamura Žiga Kozinc |
| author_sort | Sara Kranjc |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionProprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching is widely used to increase range of motion, but its underlying mechanisms are not well understood. This experimental, parallel group design study investigated the acute effects of PNF stretching on rectus femoris muscle stiffness and explored a potential dose-response relationship.MethodsThirty healthy young adults (23 females, 7 males) were randomly assigned to either a PNF stretching group (n = 15; 22.96 ± 2.2 years) or a control group (n = 15; 23.3 ± 2.1 years). Rectus femoris stiffness was measured using shear-wave elastography (Resona 7, Mindray, China) at two locations (distal and proximal) before and after the second, fourth, and sixth sets of PNF stretching. The protocol involved six sets, each with three 10-s stretches and 5-s maximal contractions.ResultsThe results indicate that PNF stretching had no statistically significant effect on muscle stiffness, with no main effects of group (F = 0.05; p = 0.830) or time (F = 0.545; p = 0.653), and no significant interactions. However, the proximal location showed a substantially higher shear modulus compared to the distal location (F = 63.6; p < 0.001; η2 = 0.69), independent of group or time.DiscussionThese findings highlight a location-specific difference in muscle stiffness that was unaffected by the intervention. In conclusion, PNF stretching did not acutely reduce rectus femoris stiffness compared to passive rest, regardless of the number of stretching sets performed. Further research is needed to understand the muscle-specific effects of PNF stretching. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-07928967c50c4d0a987786428a578fd0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-07928967c50c4d0a987786428a578fd02025-01-09T06:10:23ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2025-01-011510.3389/fphys.2024.14968251496825Acute effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching on rectus femoris muscle stiffness: a dose-response shear-wave elastography studySara Kranjc0Mojca Fink1Masatoshi Nakamura2Žiga Kozinc3Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, Koper, SloveniaFaculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, Koper, SloveniaFaculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Nishi Kyushu University, Kanzaki, Saga, JapanFaculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, Koper, SloveniaIntroductionProprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching is widely used to increase range of motion, but its underlying mechanisms are not well understood. This experimental, parallel group design study investigated the acute effects of PNF stretching on rectus femoris muscle stiffness and explored a potential dose-response relationship.MethodsThirty healthy young adults (23 females, 7 males) were randomly assigned to either a PNF stretching group (n = 15; 22.96 ± 2.2 years) or a control group (n = 15; 23.3 ± 2.1 years). Rectus femoris stiffness was measured using shear-wave elastography (Resona 7, Mindray, China) at two locations (distal and proximal) before and after the second, fourth, and sixth sets of PNF stretching. The protocol involved six sets, each with three 10-s stretches and 5-s maximal contractions.ResultsThe results indicate that PNF stretching had no statistically significant effect on muscle stiffness, with no main effects of group (F = 0.05; p = 0.830) or time (F = 0.545; p = 0.653), and no significant interactions. However, the proximal location showed a substantially higher shear modulus compared to the distal location (F = 63.6; p < 0.001; η2 = 0.69), independent of group or time.DiscussionThese findings highlight a location-specific difference in muscle stiffness that was unaffected by the intervention. In conclusion, PNF stretching did not acutely reduce rectus femoris stiffness compared to passive rest, regardless of the number of stretching sets performed. Further research is needed to understand the muscle-specific effects of PNF stretching.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2024.1496825/fullmuscle elasticityacute effectsdose-responseultrasound elastographystretching intervention |
| spellingShingle | Sara Kranjc Mojca Fink Masatoshi Nakamura Žiga Kozinc Acute effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching on rectus femoris muscle stiffness: a dose-response shear-wave elastography study Frontiers in Physiology muscle elasticity acute effects dose-response ultrasound elastography stretching intervention |
| title | Acute effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching on rectus femoris muscle stiffness: a dose-response shear-wave elastography study |
| title_full | Acute effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching on rectus femoris muscle stiffness: a dose-response shear-wave elastography study |
| title_fullStr | Acute effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching on rectus femoris muscle stiffness: a dose-response shear-wave elastography study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Acute effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching on rectus femoris muscle stiffness: a dose-response shear-wave elastography study |
| title_short | Acute effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching on rectus femoris muscle stiffness: a dose-response shear-wave elastography study |
| title_sort | acute effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching on rectus femoris muscle stiffness a dose response shear wave elastography study |
| topic | muscle elasticity acute effects dose-response ultrasound elastography stretching intervention |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2024.1496825/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sarakranjc acuteeffectsofproprioceptiveneuromuscularfacilitationstretchingonrectusfemorismusclestiffnessadoseresponseshearwaveelastographystudy AT mojcafink acuteeffectsofproprioceptiveneuromuscularfacilitationstretchingonrectusfemorismusclestiffnessadoseresponseshearwaveelastographystudy AT masatoshinakamura acuteeffectsofproprioceptiveneuromuscularfacilitationstretchingonrectusfemorismusclestiffnessadoseresponseshearwaveelastographystudy AT zigakozinc acuteeffectsofproprioceptiveneuromuscularfacilitationstretchingonrectusfemorismusclestiffnessadoseresponseshearwaveelastographystudy |