The Effects of Inter-set Stretching on Muscle Performance

Static passive muscle stretching, performed weekly, can increase muscle flexibility and range of motion. Typically, static stretching is performed either before starting specific exercises or at the end of a workout. However, the effects of static passive stretching when performed during sets are still not entirely clear in terms of performance. This study aims to evaluate the effects of inter-set stretching on muscle performance

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Passive static stretching

Detailed Description

This project aims to evaluate the potential effects of stretching exercises on muscular performance. In particular, we aim to administer passive static stretching between sets of a bench press performance. Within this project we will carry out a crossover design project in which the participants will be tested for two conditions and one control session. The main protocol consists of performing five sets of bench press at 70% of 1-RM. The 1-RM will be calculated before the start of the data collection procedure, through a standardized and validated approach. The experimental sessions will comprise two interventions. The first intervention will be to administer the stretching protocol to the agonist muscles involved in the bench press performance (pectoralis muscles). While the second intervention will be to administer the stretching protocol to the antagonist muscles involved in the bench press performance (dorsal muscles). Within the control session the participants will not perform any stretching between sets. The three arms will be randomized. As outcome variables, the primary outcome will be the comparison of the total volume across each agonist, antagonist, and control session. The secondary outcomes to be assessed are strength, power, velocity, and volume.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 40
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Luca Di Bartolo; Phone Number: +393206435580; Email: luca.dibartolo01@unipa.it

Study Locations

• Italy
  • Palermo, Italy, 90133
    • Active, not recruiting
    • University of Palermo
  • Palermo, Italy, 90133
    • Recruiting
    • University of Palermo
    • Contact: Luca Di Bartolo; Phone Number: +393206435580; Email: luca.dibartolo01@unipa.it

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy men aged ≥ 18 years.
• At least 6-month experience of resistance training.
• No previous musculoskeletal injuries in the 6 months prior to the study will be recruited

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participants who suffered an injury within the 6 months prior to the study and/or participants with pathological conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system will not be recruited.
• Female participants
• Participants with less than 18 years.
• Participants who match all inclusion criteria but who fail to attend one or more of the agonist/antagonist stretching sessions will be also excluded.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: AN; Participants will perform passive static stretching of antagonist muscles (dorsal muscles) between sets.	Other: Passive static stretching; the intervention consists of passive static stretching of agonist or antagonist muscles between sets
Experimental: AG; Participants will perform passive static stretching of agonist muscles (pectoralis muscles) between sets.	Other: Passive static stretching; the intervention consists of passive static stretching of agonist or antagonist muscles between sets
No Intervention: CG; Participants will not perform any stretching between sets.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Muscular performance	The total volume across each agonist, antagonist, and control session	From enrollment to the end of a treatment at 2 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Strength	Strength, measured in Newtons, will be evaluated using the 'T-Force' device, which records and collects the main biomechanical parameters, including strength, during the concentric and eccentric phases of movement.	From enrollment to the end of a treatment at 2 weeks
Power	Power, measured in Watts, will be evaluated using the 'T-Force' device, which records and collects the main biomechanical parameters, including power, during the concentric and eccentric phases of movement.	From enrollment to the end of a treatment at 2 weeks
Velocity	Velocity, measured in meters per second, will be evaluated using the 'T-Force' device, which records and collects the main biomechanical parameters, including velocity, during the concentric and eccentric phases of movement.	From enrollment to the end of a treatment at 2 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Palermo

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 2, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 18, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 16, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 22, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 22, 2025
• Last Verified: January 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 150/2023; University of Palermo (Other Identifier: University of Palermo)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Data will be available upon reasonable request of the corresponding author

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No