ArticleEuropean journal of applied physiology2021
Effects of a high-volume static stretching programme on plantar-flexor muscle strength and architecture.
Article in European journal of applied physiology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 39 papers, 9 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
39 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 64 citations in OpenAlex.
- Mechanisms Underlying Range of Motion Improvements Following Acute and Chronic Static Stretching: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis and Multivariate Meta-regression.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2025Pooled it
- Chronic Effects of Static Stretching Exercises on Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy in Healthy Individuals: A Systematic Review and Multilevel Meta-Analysis.Sports medicine - open · 2024Pooled it
- Effects of Chronic Static Stretching on Maximal Strength and Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis with Meta-Regression.Sports medicine - open · 2024Pooled it
- Minimalist Training: Is Lower Dosage or Intensity Resistance Training Effective to Improve Physical Fitness? A Narrative Review.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2024Pooled it
- Muscle Architecture Adaptations to Static Stretching Training: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.Sports medicine - open · 2023Pooled it
- Resistance Training Induces Improvements in Range of Motion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2023Pooled it
- Chronic Effects of Static Stretching Exercises on Muscle Strength and Power in Healthy Individuals Across the Lifespan: A Systematic Review with Multi-level Meta-analysis.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2023Pooled it
- The Effects of Foam Rolling Training on Performance Parameters: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis including Controlled and Randomized Controlled Trials.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- A comparison of a single bout of stretching or foam rolling on range of motion in healthy adults.European journal of applied physiology · 2022Pooled it
- Stretch-mediated hypertrophy and strength increases and their impact on dynamic balance performance - a randomized controlled intervention study.Scientific reports · 2026Trial
- Comparison between 6-week foam rolling intervention program with and without vibration on rolling and non-rolling sides.European journal of applied physiology · 2022Trial
- We need article reporting standards for quantitative research in sport and exercise science: an educational narrative review.European journal of applied physiology · 2026Review
- The relationship between passive ankle joint stiffness and the stiffnesses of muscles, nerve and tendon.European journal of applied physiology · 2026Article
- Context-Dependent Differences in Muscle Architecture Following Fatigue in Ultramarathon Athletes: A Comparison Between Laboratory and Real Race Settings.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Perception-Based Methods and Beyond: A Current Opinion on How to Assess Static Stretching Intensity.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2025Article
- Implications and Applications of Stretch-Mediated Hypertrophy in Therapy, Rehabilitation and Athletic Training-An Outlook to Future Potential Applications.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2025Article
- Comparison between 6 weeks of static stretching and resistance training programs on passive and active properties of plantar flexors. a randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in physiology · 2025Article
- Can isometric testing substitute for the one repetition maximum squat test?European journal of applied physiology · 2024Article
- Discussing Conflicting Explanatory Approaches in Flexibility Training Under Consideration of Physiology: A Narrative Review.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2024Review
- Comparison of Supervised versus Self-Administered Stretching on Bench Press Maximal Strength and Force Development.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
purposeStatic stretching (SS) is performed in various settings, but there is no consensus about the effects of SS programmes on changes in muscle morphofunction. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a high-volume SS programme on muscle strength and architecture.
methodsSixteen healthy young male adults participated, and the dominant leg was defined as the intervention side, with the non-dominant leg as the control side. Stretching exercises were performed two times per week (6 sets of 5 min, totally 30 min per session,) for 5-week using a stretching board under the supervision of the research team. Before and after SS intervention programme, plantar-flexor strength (maximum voluntary isometric contraction, MVC-ISO; maximum voluntary concentric contraction, MVC-CON) and architecture (muscle thickness, pennation angle, and fascicle length) were measured via dynamometer and ultrasound, respectively.
resultsFollowing the SS-training programme, significant increases were observed for stretching side in MVIC-ISO at neutral ankle position (p = 0.02, d = 0.31, Δ = 6.4 ± 9.9%) and MVC-CON at 120°/s (p = 0.02, d = 0.30, Δ = 7.8 ± 9.1%), with no significant change on the control side. There was no significant change in any measure of muscle architecture for both intervention and control sides.
conclusionFive-week high-volume SS induced positive changes on some measures of muscle strength but not hypertrophy of plantar-flexor muscles. Even with a volume much greater than already tested, the low strain offered by the SS per set seems be insufficient to induce architectural changes on skeletal muscle.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.