Key result
Muscle stretching significantly reduced heart rate (d=0.38) and arterial stiffness, including brachial-ankle (d=2.04) and carotid-femoral (d=0.46) pulse wave velocity.
Why the study?
The study was conducted to review the literature and understand the effects of muscle stretching on cardiovascular responses.
Does muscle stretching improve cardiovascular responses such as heart rate and arterial stiffness?
Meta-Analysis
Does muscle stretching improve cardiovascular responses such as heart rate and arterial stiffness?
Muscle stretching significantly reduces arterial stiffness and heart rate, with no reported adverse effects on blood pressure in patients with cardiovascular disease.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Stretching reduces arterial stiffness and HR; extends support for flexibility training as a low-cost adjunct in CV risk management.
The aim of this study will be to review the current body of literature to understand the effects of stretching on the responses of the cardiovascular system. A literature search was performed using the following databases: Scopus, NLM Pubmed and ScienceDirect. Studies regarding the effects of stretching on responses of the cardiovascular system were investigated. Outcomes regarded heart rate(HR), blood pressure, pulse wave velocity (PWV of which baPWV for brachial-ankle and cfPWV for carotid-femoral waveforms), heart rate variability and endothelial vascular function. Subsequently, the effects of each outcome were quantitatively synthetized using meta-analytic synthesis with random-effect models. A total of 16 studies were considered eligible and included in the quantitative synthesis. Groups were also stratified according to cross-sectional or longitudinal stretching interventions. Quality assessment through the NHLBI tools observed a "fair-to-good" quality of the studies. The meta-analytic synthesis showed a significant effect of d=0.38 concerning HR, d=2.04 regarding baPWV and d=0.46 for cfPWV. Stretching significantly reduces arterial stiffness and HR. The qualitative description of the studies was also supported by the meta-analytic synthesis. No adverse effects were reported, after stretching, in patients affected by cardiovascular disease on blood pressure. There is a lack of studies regarding vascular adaptations to stretching.
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Thomas et al. (2021) reported a meta-analysis. Muscle stretching was evaluated on Heart rate, blood pressure, pulse wave velocity, heart rate variability, and endothelial vascular function (d=0.38 (HR), d=2.04 (baPWV), d=0.46 (cfPWV)). Muscle stretching significantly reduced heart rate (d=0.38) and arterial stiffness, including brachial-ankle (d=2.04) and carotid-femoral (d=0.46) pulse wave velocity.
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