Local and Systemic Changes in Pain Sensitivity After 4 Weeks of Calf Muscle Stretching in a Nonpainful Population: A Randomized Trial

TY - JOUR

T1 - Local and Systemic Changes in Pain Sensitivity After 4 Weeks of Calf Muscle Stretching in a Nonpainful Population

T2 - A Randomized Trial

AU - Bartholdy, Cecilie

AU - Zangger, Graziella

AU - Hansen, Lisbeth

AU - Ginnerup-Nielsen, Elisabeth

AU - Bliddal, Henning

AU - Henriksen, Marius

N1 - © 2015 World Institute of Pain.

PY - 2016/7/1

Y1 - 2016/7/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: Stretching is often used in clinical practice for a variety of purposes, including pain therapy. The possible mechanism behind the effect of stretching remains to be clarified.AIM: To investigate whether 4 weeks of unilateral stretching of the calf muscles would affect local and central pain sensitivity.METHOD: This study was a randomized assessor-blinded clinical study. Healthy participants (age 18 to 40) were included and randomized. Participants in the intervention group were instructed to perform 2 stretching exercises targeting the calf muscles; 3 times 30 seconds, 7 days a week for 4 weeks on the dominant leg. Participants in the control group were instructed not to do any stretching for 4 weeks. Pressure pain threshold (PPT) and temporal summation (TS) of pressure pain were measured on the stretched calf, the contra-lateral calf, and contra-lateral lower arm using a computerized cuff algometer. Analyses of variance on the per-protocol population (defined as participants that adhered to the protocol) were used to assess group differences in the changes from baseline.RESULT: Forty healthy volunteers were included, of which 34 participants adhered to the protocol (15 intervention group/19 control group). No statistically significant group differences in the changes from baseline were found regarding PPT and TS measurements for the stretched calf, the contra-lateral calf, and the arm.CONCLUSION: Four weeks of regular stretching of the calf muscles does not affect pressure pain sensitivity, suggesting that pressure pain sensitivity is unaffected by stretching in a healthy population. The mechanisms underlying any benefits of regular stretching remain to be explained.

AB - BACKGROUND: Stretching is often used in clinical practice for a variety of purposes, including pain therapy. The possible mechanism behind the effect of stretching remains to be clarified.AIM: To investigate whether 4 weeks of unilateral stretching of the calf muscles would affect local and central pain sensitivity.METHOD: This study was a randomized assessor-blinded clinical study. Healthy participants (age 18 to 40) were included and randomized. Participants in the intervention group were instructed to perform 2 stretching exercises targeting the calf muscles; 3 times 30 seconds, 7 days a week for 4 weeks on the dominant leg. Participants in the control group were instructed not to do any stretching for 4 weeks. Pressure pain threshold (PPT) and temporal summation (TS) of pressure pain were measured on the stretched calf, the contra-lateral calf, and contra-lateral lower arm using a computerized cuff algometer. Analyses of variance on the per-protocol population (defined as participants that adhered to the protocol) were used to assess group differences in the changes from baseline.RESULT: Forty healthy volunteers were included, of which 34 participants adhered to the protocol (15 intervention group/19 control group). No statistically significant group differences in the changes from baseline were found regarding PPT and TS measurements for the stretched calf, the contra-lateral calf, and the arm.CONCLUSION: Four weeks of regular stretching of the calf muscles does not affect pressure pain sensitivity, suggesting that pressure pain sensitivity is unaffected by stretching in a healthy population. The mechanisms underlying any benefits of regular stretching remain to be explained.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Female

KW - Healthy Volunteers

KW - Humans

KW - Leg

KW - Male

KW - Muscle Stretching Exercises

KW - Muscle, Skeletal

KW - Pain Measurement

KW - Pain Threshold

KW - Pressure

KW - Prospective Studies

KW - Young Adult

KW - Journal Article

KW - Randomized Controlled Trial

KW - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

U2 - 10.1111/papr.12322

DO - 10.1111/papr.12322

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26032407

SN - 1530-7085

VL - 16

SP - 696

EP - 703

JO - Pain Practice

JF - Pain Practice

IS - 6

ER -