Static stretching is a popular exercise that improves flexibility. Stretching has been shown to increase joint range of motion (ROM) and reduce joint resistance in young individuals. For older people, static stretching can also improve ROM. Stretching mainly changes stretch tolerance, and thus the effect of static stretching on muscle stiffness may be small for
Vascular aging results in stiffer arteries and vascular endothelial dysfunction, and may have a role in the development of cardiovascular disease. While aerobic exercise is known to significantly reduce large artery compliance, it does not affect arterial stiffness. Stretching has been suggested to reduced arterial stiffness and improved endothelial function. A review study determined whether
Aging decreases joint flexibility and joint range of motion (ROM), which may impair balance and functional ability in the older person leading to an increased risk of falls and reduced quality of life. ROM can be grouped into passive and active ROM. Passive ROM is used to represent joint flexibility and is considered to be
Humans have evolved to have more endurance than power and speed. In contrast to other primates, humans are capable of sustained endurance activities such as trekking and running long distances over extended periods. Only a few other running-adapted mammals, such as dogs, wolves, and horses, are known to be capable of such sustained aerobic capacity.
Persistent inflammation processes can cause fibrosis and stiffness of the connective tissue. This increased stiffness may affect the sliding of the connective tissue layers. Further to this, it may contribute to musculoskeletal pain. Manipulation of the fascial system via manual technique is commonly used for pain management. A study from Brazil and Germany investigate
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease that becomes more prevalent in recent decades. Age, sex, genes, obesity are known to influence knee OA susceptibility. There is also evidence that physical inactivity that may induce OA prevalence. Physical activity for attaining and maintaining optimal knee tissue structure and strength is well documented, particularly by
Massage therapy is commonly used as a relief from anxiety and stress. Acute treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder often requires 3 months or more of care to optimize response. Currently, there was only few studies that evaluated the effectiveness of massage for GAD. A case series reported that patients with GAD benefited from Swedish Massage
A study from Iran evaluated massage as recovery techniques following exercise‐induced muscle injury in older adults. The study recruited 78 older men and women; they performed a single bout of strength training on the calf muscles to induce muscle injury. After the exercise, participants received either a 15‐min massage on calf muscles or the lower
Proposed mechanical interaction between the deep fascia and the skeletal muscle. In resting conditions (left), a displacement of the muscle (right) will stretch and stiffen the fibrous connections (black lines) to the superficial fascia, potentially leading to its displacement. From Wilke and Tenberg (2020) The deep fascia that envelops the skeletal muscle can play
Environmental enrichment is a term used in neuroscience on the influence of sensory experience on the brain and behaviour. Maternal care in animals, and particularly tactile stimulation through licking and grooming, may represent a key component in the early phases of environmental enrichment. Massage and multisensory stimulation in newborns’ neonatal care have been shown to
