Rev Bras Fisiol Exerc 2021;20(2):163-64
doi: 10.33233/rbfex.v20i2.4757
EDITORIAL
Muscle stretching: a practice sustained by habit?
Alongamento
muscular: uma prática sustentada pelo hábito?
Thaís
de Figueiredo Cedraz1,2, Daniela Santos de Jesus1,3,4
1Faculdade do Centro Oeste Paulista,
Bauru, SP, Brazil
2Universidade Salvador, Feira de Santana,
BA, Brazil
3ACTUS CORDIOS Reabilitação
Cardiovascular, Respiratória e Metabólica, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
4Escola Bahiana
de Medicina e Saúde Pública, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Correspondence: Thaís de Figueiredo Cedraz, Rua Cristóvão Barreto, 844
Centro, Salvador BA
Thaís de Figueiredo Cedraz: thais_cedraz@hotmail.com
Daniela Santos de Jesus: daniela.reabilitacao@gmail.com
Stretching techniques are applied
consistently in settings such as gyms, sports competitions, and rehabilitation
centers. These techniques are defined as muscle stretching exercises, which
provide increased range of motion. The use of stretching as a resource for
gaining or maintaining range of motion is already well established, however,
there are controversies about its use prior to exercise [1].
Among the unsustainable thoughts
after scientific methodological screening are: the
attenuation of late-onset muscle pain [2], improved performance in the
neuromuscular exercise against load [3] and the prevention of injuries [1]. Our
research group planned a protocol with the execution of maximum repetitions for
the same load without heating, with stretching and flexing, with a reduction in
the maximum number of repetitions for the last two modalities [3]. In other
words, we demonstrate that the application of such techniques can even limit
performance, especially if we consider high-performance athletes.
As for the use of stretching in the
prevention or mitigation of injuries, the 2nd edition of the Revista Brasileira de Fisiologia do Exercício
brings the work of Santos et al. [4] whose design will allow us to add
another brick to our knowledge gap on the science of stretching. The study aims
to verify the influence of stretching on muscle injury markers after a
plyometric exercise session, which features the shortening/stretching cycles
that occur quickly and increase the rate of muscle activation [4].
The analysis of
the results involved the measurement of Creatine Kinase (CK) values before,
after 24 h and 48 h, as well as the perception through a visual analogue scale
with a score from 0 to 10. There was no demonstration of clinical or
statistically relevant difference for the comparison of the different moments
in relation to the previous performance of static stretching.
These findings
make us to question the indiscriminate application and defense of stretching in
several environments, for different moments and purposes. Therefore, it is
necessary to ask: How much of what we have been doing is actually
proven by science or, in the absence of studies, provided by an
intelligible rationale?