Muscle Stretching - the Potential Role of Endogenous Pain Inhibitory Modulation on Stretch Tolerance

This study investigates the influence of a remote, painful stimulus on stretch tolerance. Half of the participants will receive a conditioning painful stimulus following static stretching while the other half will rest quietly.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Muscle Stretching Exercises; Pain Threshold
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Cold pressor test

Detailed Description

The effect of stretching on joint range of motion is primarily related to changes in the tolerance to stretch, but the mechanisms underlying this change are still largely unknown.

The nervous system has an inbuilt ability to modulate the perceived magnitude of afferent noxious stimuli via supraspinally mediated endogenous pain inhibition or facilitation and by engaging endogenous mechanisms pain tolerance in healthy individuals is known to increase. Thus increasing the tolerance to pain could potentially increase range of motion following stretching.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 34
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Denmark
  • Aalborg, Denmark, 9220
    • University College of Northern Denmark

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 45 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Eligibility for participation included the absence of any pain or other conditions that might affect the somatosensory system.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Substance abuse,
• History of neurological or mental disabilities
• Lack of ability to comply with instructions
• Delayed onset of muscle soreness.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Experimental pain group; subjects in the pain group were instructed to immerse their non-dominant hand into a container with circulating water at 1˚C to 4˚C and keep it there for 2 minutes. They were instructed to immerse it to wrist-level and keep the hand open.	Other: Cold pressor test; Participants placed their non-dominant hand into cold water for 2 minutes
No Intervention: Control group; Participants rested in a seated position for 5 minutes.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Knee extension range of motion	Passively induced knee extension range of motion was measured usind the Biodex system 4 pro isokinetic dynomometer	Passive knee extension range of motion was measured at baseline
Change in knee extension range of motion between baseline and post stretch.	Changes in passively induced knee extension range of motion was measured using the Biodex system 4 pro isokinetic dynomometer	Changes in passive knee extension range of motion were measured 5 minutes after baseline measures following stretching
Changes in knee extension range of motion between post stretch and post pain.	Changes in passively induced knee extension range of motion was measured using the Biodex system 4 pro isokinetic dynomometer	Changes in passive knee extension range of motion were measured 5 minutes after post stretch measures following intervention.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Surface electromyography measures of muscle activity	Muscle activity during the passive knee extension motion were measured using SEMG.	Muscle activity during the passive knee extension motion was measured at baseline
Changes in surface electromyography measures of muscle activity between baseline and post stretch measures.	Changes in muscle activity during the passive knee extension motion were measured using SEMG.	Changes in muscle activity during the passive knee extension motion were measured 5 minutes after baseline measures following stretching.
Changes in surface electromyography measures of muscle activity between post stretch and post pain measures.	Changes in muscle activity during the passive knee extension motion were measured using SEMG.	Changes in muscle activity during the passive knee extension motion were measured 5 minutes after post stretch measures following intervention.
Passive resistive torque using the Biodes system 4 pro.	Passive resistive torque during the passive knee extension motion was measured using the Biodex system 4 pro isokinetic dynamometer.	Passive resistive torque during the passive knee extension motion was measured at baseline.
Changes in passive resistive torque measured using the Biodex system 4 pro between baseline and post stretch measures.	Changes in passive resistive torque during the passive knee extension motion was measured using the Biodex system 4 pro isokinetic dynamometer.	Changes in passive resistive torque during the passive knee extension motion was measured 5 minutes after baseline measures following stretching.
Changes in passive resistive torque measured using the Biodex system 4 pro between post stretch and post pain measures.	Changes in Passive resistive torque during the passive knee extension motion was measured using the Biodex system 4 pro isokinetic dynamometer.	Passive resistive torque during the passive knee extension motion was measured 5 minutes after post stretch measures following intervention.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University College of Northern Denmark
• Collaborators: Aalborg University
• Investigators: Study Director: Dorte Drachman, Msc., University College of Northern Denmark, Department of Physiotherapy

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 1, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 30, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): November 30, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 15, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 19, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): October 22, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 22, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 19, 2018
• Last Verified: October 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Range of Motion; Stretch tolerance
• Other Study ID Numbers: UniversityCND

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No