Effect of Acute Static Stretching on the Activation Patterns Using High-Density Surface Electromyography of the Gastrocnemius Muscle during Ramp-Up Task

Noriaki Maeda, Makoto Komiya, Yuichi Nishikawa, Masanori Morikawa, Shogo Tsutsumi, Tsubasa Tashiro, Kazuki Fukui, Hiroaki Kimura, Yukio Urabe, Noriaki Maeda, Makoto Komiya, Yuichi Nishikawa, Masanori Morikawa, Shogo Tsutsumi, Tsubasa Tashiro, Kazuki Fukui, Hiroaki Kimura, Yukio Urabe

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate motor unit recruitment during submaximal voluntary ramp contraction in the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle (MG) by high-density spatial electromyography (SEMG) before and after static stretching (SS) in healthy young adults. SS for gastrocnemius was performed in 15 healthy participants for 2 min. Normalized peak torque by bodyweight of the plantar flexor, muscle activity at peak torque, and muscle activation patterns during ramp-up task were evaluated before and after SS. Motor unit recruitment during the submaximal voluntary contraction of the MG was measured using SEMG when performing submaximal ramp contractions during isometric ankle plantar flexion from 30 to 80% of the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). To evaluate the changes in the potential distribution of SEMG, the root mean square (RMS), modified entropy, and coefficient of variation (CV) were calculated from the dense surface EMG data when 10% of the MVC force was applied. Muscle activation patterns during the 30 to 80% of MVC submaximal voluntary contraction tasks were significantly changed from 50 to 70% of MVC after SS when compared to before. The variations in motor unit recruitment after SS indicate diverse motor unit recruitments and inhomogeneous muscle activities, which may adversely affect the performance of sports activities.

Keywords: high-density spatial electromyography; motor unit recruitment; static stretching; submaximal voluntary ramp contraction.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of the measurement procedure. MVC: maximal voluntary contraction.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The location of surface electromyography application and amplitude values of electrodes. (A): A color map of the typical spatial distribution pattern of the amplitude values of a surface electromyogram. The grid consists of 13 rows and five columns. In the present study, one site of the proximal part of the MG muscle (upper right part of the electrode) was missing. (B): The electrode grid of the multichannel electromyography was placed at the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. The central part of the electrode grid was attached to the center of the line connecting the medial knee fossa and calcaneal insertion. Reference electrodes were attached at the position of the fibular head and patella.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Root mean square of multichannel surface electromyogram amplitudes at 30 to 80% of the maximum voluntary contraction between conditions.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Normalized peak torque of the plantar flexor at pre, post, and post-5-min conditions.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Root mean square of multichannel surface electromyogram amplitudes during ramp contractions at pre, post, and post-5-min conditions. * p < 0.05. MVC: maximal voluntary contraction.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Comparison of the modified entropy in the amplitude of the multichannel surface electromyography during ramp contractions between pre, post, and post-5-min conditions. * p < 0.05. MVC: maximal voluntary contraction.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Coefficient of variation in the amplitude of the multichannel surface electromyography during ramp contractions at pre, post, and post-5-min conditions. * p < 0.05. MVC: maximal voluntary contraction.

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