2009 Volume 24 Issue 5 Pages 675-678
[Purpose] There are some reports in the literature on the effects of post-exercise stretching on the muscles; however, the reality is, that stretching is used without formal justification in the performance of physical therapy. In light of this, we investigated the relationship between muscle stretch intensity and muscle recovery. [Method] After exercise, stretching was performed at different intensities, and the time course of changes in muscle stiffness and body surface (skin) temperature were measured; based on these results, we judged the effectiveness of stretching. [Results] Some significant differences were found in the muscle recovery effect arising from stretching at different intensities. [Conclusion] The results suggest the possibility that intensive stretching after exercise is unnecessary, as light stretching was sufficient for effective muscle recovery.
