Kay Anthony David, Baross Anthony William, Baxter Brett Anthony, Blazevich Anthony John
Centre for Physical Activity and Life Sciences, Faculty of Art, Science and Technology, University of Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1 5PH, UK.
Centre for Human Performance (CHP), School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia.
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2025 Sep 18. doi: 10.1007/s00421-025-05979-9.
Eccentric resistance training produces substantial increases in maximum joint range of motion (ROM), highlighting its potential as an alternative to static stretching. However, little is known about the short-term effects or associated mechanisms. Therefore, this study compared within-session responses and between-session carry-over effects of eccentric contractions and static stretching in 18 healthy human volunteers.
Using a counterbalanced crossover design, participants completed four sessions across two conditions: Eccentric contractions (EC, EC) and static stretching (SS, SS), with 48-72 h between sessions. EC comprised 5 sets of 10 × 3-s isokinetic eccentric contractions while SS comprised 5 sets of 30-s static stretches (total time under tension = 150 s). Dorsiflexion ROM and passive plantarflexor torque were recorded before and after each set, and maximal isometric plantarflexor torque, active Achilles tendon stiffness, and passive gastrocnemius medialis stiffness were measured pre- and post-intervention.
Significant within-session increases in ROM (2.2°-6.0°) and reductions in muscle-tendon unit (MTU) stiffness (2.7-7.3%) and muscle stiffness (8.4%) occurred after both EC and SS. However, only EC improved stretch tolerance (30.7%) and decreased Achilles tendon stiffness (12.0%). Comparable between-session carry-over effects occurred after two sessions of stretches and contractions in pre-intervention ROM (5.9°, collapsed data), stretch tolerance (38.0%), and MTU stiffness (41.7%).
Eccentric contractions produced more than twice the acute ROM increase and greater changes in stiffness and stretch tolerance than static stretching. The significant carry-over effects after two sessions indicate also indicate a more potent stimulus for increasing ROM, with important implications for clinical practice and exercise prescription.
离心阻力训练可显著增加最大关节活动范围（ROM），凸显其作为静态拉伸替代方法的潜力。然而，对于其短期效应或相关机制知之甚少。因此，本研究比较了18名健康人类志愿者进行离心收缩和静态拉伸时的组内反应以及组间延续效应。
采用平衡交叉设计，参与者在两种条件下完成四个训练阶段：离心收缩（EC，EC）和静态拉伸（SS，SS），阶段之间间隔48 - 72小时。EC包括5组，每组10次×3秒的等速离心收缩，而SS包括5组，每组30秒的静态拉伸（总拉伸时间 = 150秒）。在每组前后记录背屈ROM和被动跖屈扭矩，并在干预前后测量最大等长跖屈扭矩、主动跟腱刚度和被动腓肠肌内侧刚度。
EC和SS后，ROM均有显著的组内增加（2.2° - 6.0°），肌腱单位（MTU）刚度（2.7 - 7.3%）和肌肉刚度（8.4%）均降低。然而，只有EC提高了拉伸耐受性（30.7%）并降低了跟腱刚度（12.0%）。在干预前的ROM（5.9°，汇总数据）、拉伸耐受性（38.0%）和MTU刚度（41.7%）方面，经过两个阶段的拉伸和收缩后，出现了类似的组间延续效应。
离心收缩产生的急性ROM增加是静态拉伸的两倍多，并且在刚度和拉伸耐受性方面的变化更大。两个阶段后的显著延续效应也表明离心收缩是增加ROM的更有效刺激，对临床实践和运动处方具有重要意义。
