The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dynamic stretching on the pennation angle, muscle strength, muscle tone, and ankle joint range of motion(ROM) in young adults.
Thirty-three healthy adults (14 males, 19 females) voluntarily participated in the study and were divided into three groups: the static stretching (SS) group, the contract-relax (C-R) group, and mobilization with movement (MWM) group. Stretching was applied to each group with 11 participants. Ultrasonography equipment, muscle elasticity measuring devices, portable dynamometers, and image analysis programs were used to measure pennation angle, muscle strength, muscle tone, and ankle joint ROM before and after stretching. Data analysis utilized one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), with Scheffe's verification post hoc test for pairwise comparisons.
The results showed no significant differences in pennation angle among the groups (p > .05). However, muscle strength was significantly higher in the C-R and MWM groups compared to the SS group (p .05). Muscle tone was also significantly lower in the MWM group compared to the SS group (p .05). Furthermore, there was a statistically significant difference in ankle joint ROM changes, with the C-R group showing greater improvement compared to the SS group (p .05).
Therefore, based on the results of this study, it is confirmed that applying C-R and MWM techniques during stretching is more effective in increasing gastrocnemius muscle strength, reducing muscle tone, and improving ankle joint ROM compared to SS
Thus, in clinical practice, it is recommended to use stretching methods incorporating C-R and MWM techniques for enhancing gastrocnemius flexibility and regulating muscle length appropriately, rather than SS.
Contract-relax
Mobilization with movement
