ORIGINAL PAPER
Effect of single and multiple passive stretching exercises upon heart rate variability in individuals with high and low flexibility levels
1
Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, Estácio de Sá University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2
Research Group on Exercise and Health Science, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
3
Laboratory of Physical Activity and Health Promotion, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
4
Sciences of Physical Activity Graduate Program, Salgado de Oliveira University, Niterói, Brazil
Submission date: 2019-04-16
Acceptance date: 2020-05-16
Publication date: 2021-02-07
Hum Mov. 2021;22(3):11-18
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Purpose:
This study investigated heart rate variability indices within acute passive stretching sessions with different exercise amounts in individuals with low and high flexibility.
Methods:
Fifty healthy men (23 ± 3 years) were randomly assigned into 4 subgroups: low flexibility-low amount, low flexibility-high amount, high flexibility-low amount, high flexibility-high amount. In groups with low amount of exercises, a single stretching of hamstrings to the maximal range of motion was performed; in high amount sessions, 6 exercises for lower and upper limbs were applied. In both protocols, individuals performed two 30-s sets using the passive static method. Heart rate variability indices in time and frequency domains were calculated from beat-to-beat intervals 15 min before, during the stretching, and along 30-min after exercise.
Results:
Multifactorial ANOVA showed that in all cases, passive stretching induced parasympathetic suppression and sympathetic increase vs. baseline (p < 0.05). After exercise, interaction between repeated measures was significant only for exercise amount. An increase vs. baseline occurred in high frequency power (Δ% low amount: 6.7%, high amount: –9.7%; p < 0.05) and root mean square of successive differences (Δ% low amount: 17.1%, high amount: 14.1%; p < 0.05). The low frequency power (Δ% low amount: –4.2%, high amount: –6.9%; p < 0.05) and low-to-high frequency power ratio (Δ% high amount: –6.7%; p < 0.05) decreased.
Conclusions:
Sympathetic modulation increased during acute stretching. Vagal increase and sympathetic reduction occurred during recovery, irrespective of flexibility. These changes were shorter after sessions including single (20 min) vs. multiple (30 min) exercises.
This study investigated heart rate variability indices within acute passive stretching sessions with different exercise amounts in individuals with low and high flexibility.
Methods:
Fifty healthy men (23 ± 3 years) were randomly assigned into 4 subgroups: low flexibility-low amount, low flexibility-high amount, high flexibility-low amount, high flexibility-high amount. In groups with low amount of exercises, a single stretching of hamstrings to the maximal range of motion was performed; in high amount sessions, 6 exercises for lower and upper limbs were applied. In both protocols, individuals performed two 30-s sets using the passive static method. Heart rate variability indices in time and frequency domains were calculated from beat-to-beat intervals 15 min before, during the stretching, and along 30-min after exercise.
Results:
Multifactorial ANOVA showed that in all cases, passive stretching induced parasympathetic suppression and sympathetic increase vs. baseline (p < 0.05). After exercise, interaction between repeated measures was significant only for exercise amount. An increase vs. baseline occurred in high frequency power (Δ% low amount: 6.7%, high amount: –9.7%; p < 0.05) and root mean square of successive differences (Δ% low amount: 17.1%, high amount: 14.1%; p < 0.05). The low frequency power (Δ% low amount: –4.2%, high amount: –6.9%; p < 0.05) and low-to-high frequency power ratio (Δ% high amount: –6.7%; p < 0.05) decreased.
Conclusions:
Sympathetic modulation increased during acute stretching. Vagal increase and sympathetic reduction occurred during recovery, irrespective of flexibility. These changes were shorter after sessions including single (20 min) vs. multiple (30 min) exercises.
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