Context:
Stretching exercise regimens are routinely prescribed to increase range of motion (ROM) and diminish injuries.
Objective:
To examine the effect of a 3-minute passive stretch on ankle-dorsiflexion ROM in a nonpathological population.
Setting:
University laboratory.
Design:
Prospective, randomized, controlled study.
Participants:
24 apparently healthy volunteers.
Interventions:
Subjects stood with their heels suspended from the edge of a platform. The experimental subjects stretched for 3 minutes on 3 consecutive days.
Main Outcome Measures:
Passive ankle-dorsiflexion ROM.
Results:
Ankle-dorsiflexion ROM increased significantly (P < .0005) over the course of each day’s stretch. No significant gains in ankle-dorsiflexion ROM were realized over 3 days.
Conclusions:
These findings suggest the need for further research to determine the stretching frequency and duration that will result in lasting increases in ankle-dorsiflexion ROM
