A 6-month static stretching intervention significantly improved vascular endothelial function and arterial stiffness, though these effects were reversed after a 6-month detraining period.
RCT (n=22)
Randomly assigned
Does a 6-month static stretching intervention improve vascular endothelial function and arterial stiffness in healthy, non-smoking, premenopausal women aged ≥40 years?
A static stretching intervention improves vascular endothelial function and arterial stiffness in healthy premenopausal women, but continuous training is required to maintain these cardiovascular benefits.
PURPOSE: Maintenance and enhancement of vascular endothelial function contribute to the prevention of cardiovascular disease and prolong a healthy life expectancy. Given the reversible nature of vascular endothelial function, interventions to improve this function might prevent arteriosclerosis. Accordingly, we studied the effects of a 6-month static stretching intervention on vascular endothelial function (reactive hyperaemia peripheral arterial tonometry index: RH-PAT index) and arterial stiffness (brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity: baPWV) and investigated the reversibility of these effects after a 6-month detraining period following intervention completion. METHODS: The study evaluated 22 healthy, non-smoking, premenopausal women aged ≥40 years. Subjects were randomly assigned to the full-intervention (n = 11; mean age: 48.6 ± 2.8 years) or a half-intervention that included a control period (n = 11; mean age: 46.9 ± 3.6 years). RESULTS: Body flexibility and vascular endothelial function improved significantly after 3 months of static stretching. In addition to these improvements, arterial stiffness improved significantly after a 6-month intervention. However, after a 6-month detraining period, vascular endothelial function, flexibility, and arterial stiffness all returned to preintervention conditions, demonstrating the reversibility of the obtained effects. CONCLUSION: A 3-month static stretching intervention was found to improve vascular endothelial function, and an additional 3-month intervention also improved arterial stiffness. However, these effects were reversed by detraining.
Shinno et al. (Mon,) conducted a rct in Healthy (n=22). Static stretching vs. Half-intervention (control period) was evaluated on Vascular endothelial function (RH-PAT index) and arterial stiffness (baPWV). A 6-month static stretching intervention significantly improved vascular endothelial function and arterial stiffness, though these effects were reversed after a 6-month detraining period.